Cricket Ireland has confirmed central contracts for 48 players for the 2025–26 season, covering men’s and women’s cricketers across full-time, part-year, educational, and casual categories.
This continues a steady evolution of Ireland’s professional cricket structure, which began in 2009 with the introduction of full-time men’s contracts and expanded to part-time women’s contracts in 2019, and full-time women’s contracts in 2022.
Tailored contract system for player development
The contract structure is designed to accommodate individual circumstances — including educational contracts for players pursuing school or university studies, and casual contracts for non-core squad members selected periodically throughout the year.
Graeme West, Director of High Performance, emphasized the importance of these contracts for player growth and international competitiveness:
“These central contracts recognise and reward our best talent across the men’s and women’s games. They allow players to access specialist coaching, healthcare, and lifestyle services to support holistic development.”
Full list of centrally contracted players
Ireland Men – Full-time contracts
- Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Matthew Humphreys
- Josh Little, Andy McBrine, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock, Paul Stirling, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young
Ireland Men – Part-Year contracts
- Stephen Doheny, Fionn Hand, Gavin Hoey, Matthew Foster, Liam McCarthy, Morgan Topping
Ireland Women – Full-time contracts
- Alana Dalzell, Laura Delany, Sarah Forbes, Arlene Kelly, Gaby Lewis, Sophie MacMahon, Jane Maguire, Cara Murray
- Leah Paul, Orla Prendergast, Freya Sargent
Ireland Women – Educational contracts
- Ava Canning, Christina Coulter Reilly, Georgina Dempsey, Amy Hunter, Louise Little, Joanna Loughran
- Aimee Maguire, Rebecca Stokell, Alice Tector
Ireland Women – Casual contracts
- Abbi Harrison, Kia McCartney, Jenni Jackson, Lara McBride, Ellie McGee
Types of Cricket Ireland central contracts
- Full-time contracts: year-round employment with full access to cricket and support services
- Part-year contracts: seasonal full-time contracts
- Educational contracts: flexible contracts supporting players still in school or tertiary education
- Casual contracts: cover match fees, medical and sports science support, and access to performance services
Cricket Ireland’s ongoing investment in contract structures underscores its ambition to remain competitive on the world stage and inspire a new generation of cricketers.
