EuroHockey Championships: Netherlands 2 Ireland 0
A towering performance from Irish goalkeeper Lizzy Murphy kept the Netherlands down to just two goals in the opening match of the women’s EuroHockey Championships in Mönchengladbach on Saturday afternoon.
The Olympic, World and European champions earned eight penalty corners but Murphy made the best corner striker in the world, Ibby Jansen, look almost average as she plucked shots out of the air and reacted to almost everything Jansen sent her way.
One goal from Jansen in the third quarter from the set piece after Joosje Burg had put the Netherlands ahead after 10 minutes gave the Dutch their 2-0 win, but Ireland will feel pleased that their doughty, physical defensive game largely stood up.
If positions come down to goal difference in Pool A Ireland have done their chances no harm at all.
RM Block
Ireland were beaten 6-0 by the Dutch in the 2018 World Cup final in London.
Ireland’s best chance to get on the scoreboard came in the third quarter when Michaela Power put Katie Mullan through and into the Dutch circle.
Mullan’s pushed effort was slowed down by goalkeeper Josine Koning before covering defenders cleared the loose ball.
Ireland frustrated the Dutch from the beginning of the match and defended robustly with Sarah McAuley, Hannah McLoughlin, Ellen Curran and Róisín Upton totally engaged throughout.
The Dutch constantly looked dangerous but by their standards were off their clinical best. In saying that, the first goal was well taken by Burg after Frederique Matla worked her way into the circle after 10 minutes and hit high.
Murphy saved the initial shot but the ball deflected away and hit McAuley’s body. Burg, lurking at the left post, was quick to slap it in for 1-0.
The score remained 1-0 into the second half as Ireland held the Netherlands scoreless in the second quarter, Murphy saving a cracking shot off captain Pien Sanders.
The second goal came in the third quarter, when the umpire judged Upton’s tackle to be overly physical and gave the Netherlands their fifth penalty corner of the match.
This time Jansen put it hard and low for the 25-year-old to score her 91st international goal and make it 2-0.
Ireland had some half-chances but the Dutch had more, with balls flashing across the Irish goal and over the crossbar, but they just couldn’t convert.
Ireland face France in their second match on Monday in a game they have targeted to win.
IRELAND: E Murphy, E Curran, H McLoughlin, R Upton, S McAuley, K McKee, S Hawkshaw (capt), C Hamil, S Torrans, N Carey, M Carey.
Rolling subs: K Mullan, C Perdue, C Beggs, Larmour, M Power, E Kealy, K Larmour.
