Despite falling behind in the opening quarter, Ireland showed composure and attacking class to turn the game around before half-time through Sarah Torrans and Caoimhe Perdue. Torrans added her second after the break, while Jessica McMaster and Amy Handcock, with her first senior international goal, completed a commanding 5-1 win.
The result sees Ireland advance to Saturday’s semi-final, where they will face the second-placed side from Pool A with a place at the 2026 World Cup at stake.
The girls in green controlled the early exchanges and carved out the first opening when Emily Kealy fired a dangerous reverse ball across the circle, forcing Canada goalkeeper Marcia Laplante into action. Laplante was quickly called upon again as Ireland piled on the pressure, Kealy winning a penalty corner which Hannah McLoughlin struck towards goal only for the effort to be deflected wide.
Canada, however, remained lively on the counter and earned a penalty corner of their own which required a sharp stop from Holly Micklem. The Canadians kept pressing and made their set-piece pressure count moments later, converting a second penalty corner to edge in front.
A third penalty corner followed late in the quarter but Ireland defended resolutely to limit the damage to a single goal.
Ireland began to move the ball with greater fluency in the second quarter. A slick passage of play ended with Katie Mullan striking firmly at goal, only for Laplante to deny her. Mullan soon won another penalty corner which sparked a frantic goalmouth scramble, the Canadian goalkeeper again equal to the danger.
However, the equaliser eventually arrived through a well-worked move. Niamh Carey drove a reverse pass across the face of goal and Torrans applied the finishing touch to level the tie.
Momentum had shifted and Ireland continued to push forward. Sarah Hawkshaw was almost on the mark with a powerful strike that Laplante managed to parry away, but the pressure soon told again. Carey capped an excellent attacking display by winning a penalty corner just before half-time, which Perdue converted to give Ireland a deserved lead at the break.
The second half began at a hectic pace, with possession changing hands quickly, but Ireland always looked the more threatening. A strong defensive intervention from McLoughlin sparked a rapid counterattack that flowed through Mullan before Torrans deftly deflected home her second of the evening to make it 3-1.
Ireland extended their advantage shortly afterwards. Carey once again caused havoc in the circle with a dangerous ball across goal that Laplante failed to clear, leaving McMaster with the simplest of finishes.
By now it was largely one-way traffic. Charlotte Beggs fired over during another Irish surge while Mullan, Beggs and Kealy all forced further saves from the busy Laplante as Ireland maintained relentless pressure.
There was still time for a final flourish. A late penalty corner in the closing seconds was confidently dragged home by Handcock to register her first senior international goal and complete a convincing Irish victory.
The win secures top spot in Pool B for Ireland and sets up a semi-final clash on Saturday night (11.15pm Irish time) against the runners-up from Pool A.
Before then, attention turns to the Irish men’s team, who face Wales in their semi-final tomorrow (10.30pm Irish time) with World Cup qualification guaranteed for the winners.