Deirdre Duke, Anna O'Flanagan and Chloe Watkins announce Ireland retirements

Deirdre Duke, Anna O'Flanagan and Chloe Watkins - three of the stars of Ireland's run to the the 2018 Hockey World Cup final - have announced their international retirements.

Duke made her debut back in June 2013 against Scotland and went on to play 173 times.

She was a member of the Ireland team that won the Women's EuroHockey Championship II, defeating the Czech Republic 5-0 in the final and played a big role in that memorable World Cup run that was ended in the decider by a clinical Netherlands.

Duke was also part of the 2021 Olympics squad and featured at the Olympic Qualifier tournament in Spain, where Ireland lost in the semis on penalties against the host country.

O'Flanagan has been on the scene since July 2010 when she debuted against Scotland, going on to play 220 games. She is Ireland's all-time record goalscorer (89).

At the 2018 World Cup, her effort in the group game against India secured a 1-0 win for Ireland and a place in the quarter-finals. She also found the net in the semi-final against Spain.

Watkins made her debut in the same game as O'Flanagan, against the Scots in 2010, just a month after completing her Leaving Certificate. She went on to play on 242 occasions.

She scored the winner in the World Cup quarter-final against India and was on the mark again in that epic last-four clash with the Spanish.

Watkins revealed in the summer of 2020 that she had undergone surgery after experiencing heart palpitations at a training camp in South Africa.

She recovered in time to be a member of the 2021 squad which represented Ireland at the Tokyo Olympics.

Ireland head to Antwerp on 16 May to play three warm-up games against Italy, Belgium and India, before travelling on to Spain on 27 May ahead of their opening game of