Irish warm to task with decisive win

HOCKEY:As anyone who has been to Scotland at this time of year might suspect, the weather can militate against the playing of international outdoor field competitions. That is why Scotland closes its outdoor hockey season and concentrates on indoors during the least clement of the winter cold and wet.

And so the Irish visitors found to their cost on Friday night that the scheduled evening friendlies - men's and women's - in Stirling had been called off as the pitches were frozen.

Still, the organisers did manage to run off two matches for Ireland's men, who drew the first, on Saturday, when John Jermyn and Banbridge's Eugene Magee scored in the 2-2 game.

Magee had forced some smart saves from the Scottish goalkeeper with a reverse-stick effort but the sides went into half-time goalless.

Scotland took the lead two minutes into the second half. Ireland equalised 14 minutes later, when Phelie Maguire earned the short corner for Jermyn to convert.

Scotland went ahead again on 67 minutes through a set piece, but Ireland rescued the match when Magee forced his way into the circle and banged in a reverse-stick shot.

Yesterday, in much kinder weather, Ireland ran in three goals to none in reply from the hosts.

Stephen Butler netted the first, with a typically clinical conversion of a short corner, to send Ireland into the break one-nil up.

Seven minutes into the second half Butler did the initial damage; his drag flick at a corner was smartly followed up by Mark Irwin for 2-0.

While Scotland came more into the match and twice forced the Irish defenders to save off their line, it was the visitors who capped off the weekend with a further goal, Irwin striking again.

This time Maguire made ground before sending a reverse drive goalward, which Irwin neatly deflected for a comprehensive 3-0 win.

"It was a reasonable performance and pleasing to see some individual performances," said coach Dave Passmore. "But we will have to learn to be more clinical in front of goal when we get chances."