Monday, March 2 – Santiago, Chile: The Ireland Women’s Hockey Team got off to a flying start in Santiago, Chile, winning their first match of the FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers with a comprehensive 5-0 win over Malaysia.
Ireland took control of the match early on, camping themselves in the Malaysian half and getting some positive early circle entries. The first chance of note fell Sarah Torrans’ way, but she didn’t make the cleanest of contacts on the strike, and Siti Nasir kicked clear. Katie Mullan was next to strike at goal after Jessica McMaster won the ball in the press, but her effort went over the bar.
Ireland won the first penalty corner of the tie, Michelle Carey and Emily Kealy connecting before Kealy found a foot in the circle, but the corner didn’t go to plan and Malaysia escaped unscathed.
Ireland’s pressure continued into the second quarter, with plenty of attacking phases coming their way. The breakthrough eventually came thanks to Katie Mullan who got the deftest of touches on a Hannah McLoughlin delivery to give Ireland their first.
A penalty corner soon after almost resulted in Ireland’s second but Roisin Upton’s slap at goal was deflected just wide.
Caoimhe Perdue got Ireland’s second from a penalty corner with six minutes remaining in the first half as her slap at goal took a favourable deflection off a Malaysian stick on its way through to see it sneak in at the near post.
A late chance fell Malaysia’s way from a long ball into the circle, but Elizabeth Murphy was on hand to maintain Ireland’s two-goal lead going into the half-time break.
Ireland dominated the second half, extending their lead early on. Sarah McAuley did superbly to take down an aerial from Roisin Upton, fight her way into the circle and fire into the side netting on her reverse stick. The fourth came via Michelle Carey three minutes later after she connected with Ellen Curran on the baseline and pushing into the bottom corner.
The goals just kept coming as Roisin Upton added Ireland’s fifth, flicking into the bottom corner from a penalty corner.
Ireland’s energy carried into the final quarter, with Sarah Hawkshaw drawing a heavy challenge outside the Malaysian circle to win an early penalty corner, which Malaysia defended. Twins Michelle and Niamh Carey almost connected for Ireland’s sixth, but Niamh’s touch went just wide.
Ireland could have had three more, with Sarah Hawkshaw, Katie Mullan, and Christina Hamill all having chances to deflect in from close range but all were denied. A penalty stroke gave Ireland a chance for their sixth in the remaining two minutes after Niamh Carey had to dust herself off from a heavy challenge in the circle, but Roisin Upton was denied her second of the game by the crossbar, and Ireland settled for five.
A double-header sees both the Ireland Men’s and Women’s hockey team in action tomorrow. Up first is our IRL Men who face Korea at 14:15 Irish Time, before our IRL Women take on Japan at 18:45 Irish Time. Both matches can be watched both matches live on Watch.Hockey.