Ireland’s Senior Women’s Sixes team finished second in Pool B at the 2026 European Sixes Lacrosse Championships in Salou, Spain, with three wins from four games. They play Czechia, the Pool C winners, in Friday’s quarter-final at 4 p.m. local time (3 p.m. in Ireland) at the Mediterranean Sports Hub.
The stakes are set out plainly in the format. The four quarter-final winners qualify for the 2027 World Lacrosse Sixes Championships in Colorado Springs. The four losers drop into a bracket for fifth place, and the winner of that bracket takes the last of Europe’s five places. A win on Friday settles qualification. A loss keeps it open but makes it harder.
Pool B
Ireland opened on Monday with a 19-2 win over Finland.
Tuesday was a double header. Italy, the Division II champions at this summer’s World Championship and making their Sixes debut, beat Ireland 10-5 in the morning. Lauren Perfetto scored four and assisted two for Italy. Ireland responded that afternoon with a 13-7 win over Sweden, who had won both of their games on day one and were top of the pool. The result left Ireland and Sweden level at 2-1 behind Italy.
That set up Thursday against Switzerland with second place in the pool to be decided. A Swiss win would have produced a three-way tie at 2-2. Ireland led 7-2 after the first period and won 18-5. Gillian Smith scored five and assisted one. Amelie Devine and Jane Howlett scored three each.
Italy finished the pool 4-0 after a 19-6 win over Finland on Thursday. Ireland finished 3-1, with 55 goals scored and 24 conceded across the four games.
Czechia
Czechia won Pool C without losing. They beat the host nation Spain 26-1, Croatia 21-4 and Germany 12-6, a combined 59 goals for and 11 against. The Germany game was the only one that was close for any length of time. Germany led 3-2 after the first period before Czechia outscored them 10-3 the rest of the way, including 5-1 in the fourth. Markéta Fišerová scored four in that game and Michaela Jeřichová had four assists. Goalkeepers Veronika Královcová and Kateřina Nájemníková made 13 saves between them.
Czechia have played one fewer game than Ireland. Their pool had four teams and they have had Thursday off.
Friday’s quarter-finals
All times local. Israel v Netherlands at 11 a.m. Italy v Germany at 12.30 p.m. Great Britain v Poland at 2.30 p.m. Czechia v Ireland at 4 p.m.
Israel, Great Britain and Italy all won their pools unbeaten. Israel outscored their four pool opponents 123-17, Great Britain their three 74-8.
Ireland arrived in Salou directly from the Atlas Cup in Maryland, where they played Canada, the United States and the Haudenosaunee Nationals the week before. The game is streamed on WL TV.