It was cruel in the extreme that on the day Ireland produced as fine a performance as the majority of their most-seasoned supporters could remember that results elsewhere in their pool, at the European Nations' Cup finals in Cologne, made it likely that they will finish outside the top eight for the first time since the inaugural tournament in 1984.

England's 8-0 hammering of the Czech Republic and, more significantly, Spain's 1-0 win over the Ukraine on Saturday leaves Ireland needing to win their final two pool games - against the Czechs today and Spain tomorrow - and hope that the Ukraine fail to beat either England or the Czechs if they are to finish in fourth place in their pool. But whatever happens between now and the end of the tournament, they can look back on Saturday's display in their 2-0 defeat to Germany, one of the top three women's hockey nations in the world, with considerable pride and with the knowledge that they are, when they put their minds to it, capable of performances infinitely better than that which they produced against England.

The 5,000 crowd had come expecting a goal-feast for the hosts. It seemed probable that that's what they would get when Fanny Rinne gave the Germans the lead from a short corner after just 52 seconds, but for the next 69 minutes it was difficult to distinguish between the World Cup bronze medallists and the team yet to win a point at this tournament.

"I would definitely put that above any performance that any girl has produced in a green shirt," said Arlene Thompson, the Pegasus sweeper, who was outstanding at the back. And it's hard to imagine that her fellow defenders, Caitriona O'Kelly and Daphne Sixsmith, will ever play as well again for their country. Right back Linda Caulfield, too, barely put a foot wrong in the match.

It wasn't just a case of the Irish battening down the hatches and hoping that the German stars would have an off day, it was a thoroughly positive, attacking display with Ireland taking the game to the Germans from the outset and outplaying them for long periods.

Germany's second goal also came from a short corner, Rinne the scorer again in the 42nd minute, but they were rarely allowed trouble the Irish defence from open play, thanks largely to the work of Sarah Kelleher, Mary Logue and Rachel Kohler in midfield.

When they did, Tara Browne, who pulled off fine saves from Natascha Keller and Britta Becker, and, more spectacularly, O'Kelly saved them - the Loreto player made a brilliant, diving goal-line clearance from Heike Latzscha.

On 37 minutes, Jenny Burke, quiet until then in the tournament, produced a run even the great Becker would have been proud of, skipping past four German players before firing a thunderous shot straight at goalkeeper Julia Zwehl. Kim Mills, Claire McMahon and Lynsey McVicker also had their moments but, for all their pressure, Ireland could not find a way through the German defence.

Ireland: T Browne, L Caulfield, A Thompson, D Sixsmith, C O'Kelly, M Logue (capt), S Kelleher, R Kohler, C McMahon, J Burke, K Mills. Subs: L McVicker, C Carey, K Humphreys.

Germany: J Zwehl, N Ernsting-Krienke, N Keller, F Barth, B Becker, M Rodewald, H Latzsch, K Kauschke (capt), S Grasser, F Rinne, F Gude. Subs: I Moller, C Reiter, P Suxdorf.

Umpires: A van Dyk and I Sivtsova.