IRELAND 4 – 1 AUSTRALIA
Sunday, February 15 – Hobart, Australia: The Eire Ladies’s Hockey Group picked up an historic first FIH Hockey Professional League victory over Australia in Hobart to shut out their second stage of the competitors. Having gone a aim behind Eire fought again to file a complete win, with Ellen Curran, Katie Mullan, Sarah Hawkshaw and Hannah McLoughlin all on the scoresheet, whereas Roisin Upton picked up the Participant of the Match award for an imperious defensive efficiency.
A less-than-ideal begin for Eire noticed Australia take an early lead in Hobart, squeezing the ball into the online from a decent angle to open the scoring. Eire, nonetheless, virtually responded within the good means, going up the opposite finish virtually instantly when Katie Mullan discovered Michelle Carey whose effort on aim was saved by Zoe Newman.
Eire continued to place the strain on, working the ball ahead to Sarah Torrans who simply couldn’t make clear contact on a first-time effort at aim, a lot to the aid of Australia.
Fast pondering from Eire received them a penalty nook, that Caoimhe Perdue flicked at aim, however her effort was saved on the road. Eire ended the opening quarter by testing Newman as soon as extra, however she was alive to Christina Hamill’s close-range effort and Australia held onto their one aim lead.
Eire carried their optimistic play into the second quarter with an ideal interchange out of the again ending in Sarah Torrans deflecting the ball onto an Australian foot contained in the circle for a penalty nook. Hannah McLoughlin’s slap on aim took a deflection from Ellen Curran to seek out the again of the online and degree the scoring.
Two inexperienced playing cards in fast succession for Australia gave Eire a chance to attempt to make use of their additional outfield gamers, which Eire used to seek out Sarah Hawkshaw free on the baseline who pulled the ball again to Katie Mullan to the touch into the online.
Eire carried their momentum into the early phases of the second of the second half, profitable a penalty nook. They opted for one more penalty nook, going again to injector Sarah Torrans who delivered the ball to Sarah Hawkshaw on a plan to faucet in.
Eire virtually had a fourth a second later when Katie Mullan’s supply into the circle discovered a stick and pinged off the crossbar.
Eire needed to climate a late interval of strain from the Hockeyroos, with Elizabeth Murphy required within the Irish internet, and a second effort from Australia going broad of the put up just some minutes later, however Eire held out to take care of their lead.
The battle confirmed no indicators of letting up as either side threw every little thing at one another. Eire nonetheless seemed the livelier as Jessica McMaster broke shortly up the pitch, discovered an inch of house within the circle and fired throughout aim. The deflection fell to Niamh Carey who was denied by a very good save from Zoe Newman.
A uncommon penalty nook for Australia provided them a lifeline. The Hockeyroos thought they’d pulled a aim again after scoring from the penalty nook, however Eire used their video referral, and the aim was overturned for a foot within the build-up.
A penalty nook for a cynical deal with on Michelle Carey with 5 minutes remaining gave Eire an opportunity to seize a fourth and seal the sport, which they gladly took as Hannah McLoughlin slapped into the again of the online.
Eire’s focus will now flip to their upcoming FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers in Santiago Chile going down from March 1 – 8. The IRL Ladies have been drawn in Pool B and can start their bid for qualification with a matchup in opposition to Malaysia (#22) on Monday, March 2nd at 18:15 Irish Time. The perimeters haven’t met since 2019, the place Eire beat Malaysia 2-1 in Banbridge throughout their FIH Ladies’s Collection marketing campaign. Japan (#11) would be the IRL Ladies’s second sport, going down the next day at 18:45 Irish Time, and can possible be the aspect’s largest take a look at given they’re the highest ranked workforce of their pool. Eire will full their Pool Stage marketing campaign with a matchup in opposition to Canada (#21) on Thursday, March 5 at 18:15 Irish Time, with the edges assembly for the primary time since Eire’s historic penalty shootout win in Dublin in 2019 that secured a primary ever Olympic place for the Ladies’s squad.
The workforce may face Australia (#6), Chile (#15), France (#17), or Switzerland (#40) within the Semi-Finals ought to they advance.
