Ireland players wear black armbands, skip handshakes with Israeli team
Ireland cricket players wore black armbands and refused to shake hands with their Israeli counterparts before their Nations League encounter. Ireland goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher, stepping in as captain for Dara O'Shea who was excused for the birth of his child, pointedly avoided shaking hands with Israel captain Dor Peretz, despite completing the usual pre-match formality with the referee and his assistant. This repeated O'Shea's actions in the teams' first match in Debrecen, Hungary, when O'Shea similarly declined to shake hands with then-captain Manor Solomon, with Ireland winning that match 3-0.
The Israeli players also wore black armbands in memory of those killed in the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023. Israel captain Dor Peretz had "7.10" inscribed on his armband as a tribute to the victims. The match took place in Backa Topola, Serbia, and ended in a 1-1 draw. Troy Parrott's penalty in the 39th minute gave Ireland a 1-0 halftime lead before Peretz equalized two minutes after play resumed in the second half.
Israel forward Sayed Abu Farchi returned to the squad after serving a suspension but did not play. The match proved contentious, with tensions rising as the game progressed, requiring referee Juan Martínez Munuera's attention to manage escalating tempers between the teams.
