Green Machine Lose Narrowly To World Number 1

Odisha World Cup, Bhubaneswar

Ireland 1(O’Donoghue)

Australia 2 (Govers, Brand)

Ireland’s opening World Cup fixture against the world number 1 side Australia proved an entertaining affair throughout. Inside the opening minute Australia broke into the circle but the towering Conor Harte was on hand to intercept the effort in front of goal. Jonny Bell created Ireland’s first real chance as he charged out of defence and fired a reverse pass into the circle where both Sean Murray and Matthew Nelson saw their shots draw superb close range saves from Andrew Charter. In the 10thminute Australia were awarded a stroke as David Harte’s save hit Paul Gleghorne on the line but a smart video referral saw the decision overturned as the ball was going wide of the goal and Australia were awarded a penalty corner instead. Blake Govers put his side in the lead with a trademark drag flick in the 11thminute. But it didn’t take long for the Green Machine to reply, Murray glided through the middle of the pitch to slip the ball to Shane O’Donogue who batted home from chest height to draw the game level in superb fashion. Harte was in fine form throughout as he made a great low glove save from Dylan Wotherspoon’s close range shot. Likewise, Ireland were keeping Charter busy at the other end as O’Donoghue forced a high glove save from his penalty corner drag flick. Australia upped the ante as the clock ticked towards half time but Harte and his defence were alert to the danger and went into half time with 44% of the possession against the world number 1.

Australia came out of the blocks firing in the second half and Tim Brand put them in front in the 33rdminute. Corey Weyer sent a pin point pass to the waiting Brand on the edge of the circle, Harte saved the first shot but Brand remained composed to fire the rebound into the net. O’Donoghue was again testing the Australian defence as he broke through to set Alan Sothern up in front of goal but the ball just slipped under his stick for the chance to go amiss. There remained very little between the two sides and Paul Gleghorne was on hand as ever to make several important tackles if the Australian forward line broke through. With 2 minutes to go, Harte was pulled from his goal and Gleghorne donned the kicking back jersey as the Green Machine threw everything at the Aussies but just couldn’t snatch the equaliser.

Speaking after the fixture, head coach Alexander Cox said “Our players put their bodies on the line for the result today, we always knew this was going to be a physical game against the world number 1 team. It wasn’t the result we wanted but I’m very proud of the whole team, we gave it our all and were in the game until the final whistle.”

Ireland’s next match of the Odisha World Cup is on Tuesday (December 4th) at 7pm IST/1:30PM GMT.

Starting: D Harte (captain), J Bell, C Cargo, M Nelson, E Magee, S O’Donoghue, S Murray, M Darling, P Gleghorne, C Harte, S Loughrey

Subs: M Bell, A Sothern, K Shimmins, M Robson, D Fitzgerald, D Walsh, L Cole

Fixtures (all times listed are local)

Ireland’s Odisha World Cup Fixtures:

30/11/18 17:00 Ireland 1vs2 Australia

4/12/18 19:00 Ireland vs China

7/12/18 19:00 Ireland vs England

10/12/18 Crossover Match

12/12/18 Quarter Final

15/12/18 Semi Final

16/12/18 Bronze Medal Match

16/12/18 Final

Full Odisha World Cup schedule: http://fih.ch/events/world-cup/world-cup-2018/hockey-world-cup-bhubaneswar-2018-m//pools-matches

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Shaw Announces Panel For Spanish Training Camp

The Green Army will travel to Spain this Saturday for a 5-day training camp with an extended panel. Ireland will play 3 uncapped matches against Spain to round out an exceptionally busy 2018.

Head coach Graham Shaw commented “We are looking forward to a training camp in Spain with our extended panel and to begin building towards an exciting 2019. This will prove an invaluable 5 days as we welcome back members of the World Cup squad playing abroad and certain players who have made the step up from the junior age group teams. This camp acts as the ideal conclusion to the 2018 international fixture calendar and allows us to hit the ground running in January with qualification for the Olympic Games the main objective”

SQUAD:

1. Emma Buckley – Royal Racing

2. Liz Murphy – Loreto

3. Zoe Wilson – Belfast Harlequins

4. Elena Tice -UCD

5. Roisin Upton – Catholic Institute

6. Yvonne OByrne- Cork Harlequins

7. Hannah Matthews- Loreto

8. Gillian Pinder – Pembroke

9. Chloe Watkins -Monkstown

10. Megan Frazer- Mannheimer

11. Alison Meeke -Loreto

12. Emily Beatty-Pembroke

13. Nicola Evans -UHC Hamburg

14. Deirdre Duke – Dusseldorfer

15. Anna OFlanagan-Pinoke

16. Katie Mullan -Club an der Alster

17. Serena Barr- Beeston

18. Bethany Barr- UCD

19. Gemma Frazer- Belfast Harlequins

20. Sarah Hawkshaw-Railway Union

21. Sinead Loughran-Pembroke

22. Aisling Naughton -Pembroke

23. Ellen Curran -UCD

24. Sarah Torrans -Loreto

25. Hannah McLaughlin -Loreto

26. Jessica McMaster -Queens

27. Ruth Maguire -Pegasus

28. Amy Elliott -Railway Union

Uncapped Matches (all times listed local)Valencia:

27/11/18 5pm Ireland vs Spain

28/11/18 5pm Ireland vs Spain

29/11/18 5pm Ireland vs Spain

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Green Machine 1-7 Netherlands

Ireland 1 (O’Donoghue)

Netherlands 7 (Pruijser x2, Hertzberger x2, van Ass, van der Weerden x2)

The hosts almost got the ideal start to the tie as they picked up a loose pass at the top of the circle and won a penalty corner inside the opening 2 minutes. But Mink van der Weerden saw his drag flick expertly saved by the glove of David Harte. The Green Machine countered immediately and won a penalty corner of their own but Shane O’Donoghue’s effort was blocked by the first runner. Harte was kept busy and lived up to his tag as one of the world’s best as he saved another drag flick from specialist Jeroen Hertzberger and a close-range effort from Mirco Pruijser. The opening goal came in the 15th minute when Pruijser found himself free on the back post to tap in a pass crossed in from the right. Ireland started the second quarter strong with both Eugene Magee and O’Donoghue drawing saves from Sam van der Wen while Alan Sothern saw his shot spin just past the post. The Irish defence remained composed throughout as the Netherlands countered at pace but were unable to add to their tally before the half time break.

3 goals for the Netherlands in the third quarter changed the shape of the game, with 2 of those coming within 2 minutes of each other. Hertzberger slotted home a powerful drag flick in the 37th minute to give the home team a bit of breathing space. But O’Donoghue got Ireland onto the scoresheet as he slapped home from close range following good link up play by Sean Murray and Mitch Darling. Seve van Ass re-established the 2-goal cushion for the Netherlands as he got on the end of Robert Kemperman’s reverse pass across goal. 2 minutes later Billy Bakker won his side their fourth penalty corner and Mink van der Weerden made it 4-1. Pruijser and van der Weerden doubled their respective tally’s inside a minute of each other to add a gloss to the game for the home fans. The Green Machine continued to challenge their hosts and Magee nearly got a last-minute goal as he evaded 3 defenders but couldn’t find a team mate in the circle. Hertzberger rounded out the scoring with an unstoppable goal as he fired home a reverse shot on the volley.

Starting: D Harte (Captain), J Bell, C Cargo, M Nelson, E Magee, S O’Donoghue, M Darling, M Robson, P Gleghorne, C Harte, S Loughrey

Subs: M Bell, A Sothern, K Shimmins, S Murray, D Fitzgerald, D Walsh, L Cole

Odisha World Cup Fixtures (all times listed are local)

30/11/18 17:00 Ireland vs Australia

4/12/18 19:00 Ireland vs China

7/12/18 19:00 Ireland vs England

10/12/18 Crossover Match

12/12/18 Quarter Final

15/12/18 Semi Final

16/12/18 Bronze Medal Match

16/12/18 Final

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Green Machine 1-4 Belgium

Ireland 1 (M Bell)

Belgium 4 (Denayer x2, Hendrickx, van Aubel)

Royal Evere White Star HC in Belgium played host to the Green Machine’s penultimate match ahead of the World Cup. Torrential rain fell for much of the fixture, making conditions not ideal for both sides. Belgium broke the deadlock in the opening half with a well worked goal by Felix Denayer. The Red Lions won several penalty corners in quick succession but a composed Green Machine defence dealt with the attacks. Denayer doubled his tally moments before the half time whistle to make it 2-0 to the hosts.

It didn’t take long into the second half for the Green Machine to claw a goal back, Matthew Bell was quickest to a penalty corner rebound to make it 2-1. Minutes later and Ireland had another penalty corner, this time Vincent Vanasch making a superb save and Florent van Aubel clearing off the line. Alexander Hendrickx sent a powerful dragflick goalward on the cusp of three quarter time to give his team a two-goal cushion. The Green Machine notched up 3 penalty corners but Vanasch was in fine form, and van Aubel rounded out the scoring late in the fourth quarter.

Congratulations to Sean Murray who earned his 50thcap for Ireland today.

Team: D Fitzgerald, D Harte, J Bell, M Bell, L Madeley, C Cargo, M Nelson, A Sothern, E Magee, K Shimmins, S O’Donoghue, S Murray, M Darling, M Robson, D Walsh, P Gleghorne, C Harte, J Duncan, L Cole, S Loughrey

Next Match:

19/11/18 19:00 Ireland vs Netherlands at Hockey Club Hurley in Amsterdam

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