HOCKEY/KT Cup: There was double cause for celebration in Seoul for the Irish hockey team: they registered their first win in the KT Cup by beating India 2-1, and learnt the injury sustained by Jill Orbinson against England was not, after all, serious enough to rule her out of August's European Championships.
It had been feared the Pegasus midfielder, capped 90 times, had fractured her elbow in a collision with an English player and would be out for the summer, but X-rays gave her the all-clear.
She will be in a splint for a fortnight and so will see no more action in Korea, but she should be back to full fitness by the time Ireland host the Europeans at Belfield.
That, then, was the first boost of the day, swiftly followed by a fine win over an Indian side who impressed when they drew with England last week. While India are ranked two places below Ireland, at 15th in the world, they've had a habit of troubling Riet Kuper's teams in the recent past, so the victory was one to savour.
Jenny Burke, still being played in midfield by the coach, scored Ireland's goals, both from short corners, the first after 10 minutes, the second after 20.
The goals were reward for a bright start by the Irish, who had India on the back foot from the off. Eimear Cregan found the goal after just three minutes, from Ireland's first corner of the game, but the strike was deemed too high by the umpire.
Before Burke's opening score Angela Platt was called upon to save India's first attempt on goal, Linda Caulfield clearing the rebound, but Ireland then upped the pace and soon after taking the lead almost doubled their advantage when Caitriona Carey created a chance for Lynsey McVicker, the captain just failing to make contact with Carey's pass across the face of the goal.
It was, though, 2-0 by half-time, Burke again showing her expertise from set-pieces, but India rallied after the break and finally pulled a goal back in the 57th minute from their seventh corner of the game. They might have been level but for two fine Platt saves in the closing stages.
But Ireland finished the stronger, yet more evidence of their fitness, with Caulfield and Jenny McDonough going close.
Malaysia, who lost 8-0 to England yesterday, are Ireland's next opponents after today's rest day.
Ireland play their final group match on Wednesday against Malaysia while India play China and England meet Korea.
The results in these games will determine the schedule of matches for Thursday's final classification games.
IRELAND: A Platt; J Hodgins, C O'Brien, B McKeever, F Connery, C Carey, L Caulfield, J Burke, N Symmons, E Cregan, L McVicker. Subs: C Parkhill, S Beaney, L O'Neill, J McDonough, D Casey.
KT CUP (at Seoul, Korea - local times) - Yesterday: Ireland 2 (J Burke 2), India 1; Korea 3, China 2; England 8, Malaysia 0. Tomorrow: Ireland v Malaysia, 11am. Thursday: play-offs for final placings.
