Symmons sinks dogged Uruguayans

WOMEN'S HOCKEY Olympic Qualifier - Ireland 1 Uruguay 0:A NIKKI Symmons strike was all Ireland had to show against Uruguay at the Olympic hockey qualifier in Vancouver yesterday.

Still, the penalty goal from the Loreto midfielder ensured that her team has full points from three games so far at the tournament in University of Victoria.

The woman on the public address called from the stand to the Uruguayan team in the pre-match formalities to announce with an apology "We have deleted your anthem". Cue for a live sung version.

Ireland coach Gene Muller clearly wanted to delete the opposition and signalled his attacking intent by pushing captain Eimear Cregan up into the forward line from her normal midfield role.

However, the revised policy was slow to bear limited fruit and the clinical set-piece execution that served the Irish so well against Canada did not immediately click back into gear. Early penalty corner efforts from Symmons and Cregan went wide, while a free driven into the danger area by Ciara O'Brien met no finishing touch.

The Uruguayans were happy to roll with the punches and just once did they break out, Virginia Casolo swooping in from the right wing to send an extravagant reverse stick effort flashing past Louisa Healy's right hand post. It was their one notable attack of the 70 minutes.

It was only at the fourth attempt that Ireland's corner routine yielded a return, Symmons taking the low route with a drag flick to secure the interval lead for her side.

It was a meagre advantage but Ireland were quick to resume the attack after the interval, with Cathy McKean, Cregan, Louisa Moore and Alex Speers taking early pot shots as the Uruguayans struggled to retain possession and composure in the face of tigerish tackling. The problem was quality not quantity, goalkeeper Paula Perez having little to do and was not called upon to really stretch herself.

Captain Cregan looked perhaps the one most likely to break the log-jam but she was forced off the field for a break after picking up a hand injury. In her brief absence, South African-born Louisa Moore let fly with a magnificent lofted hot that took a chip out of the underside of the crossbar.

So startled was the defender at whose feet the ball landed that she almost put it over her own line until Perez tidied up. Shortly afterwards, the woodwork was vibrating once more when Claire Parkhill ventured forward, thudding her attempt off the post for Cregan to volley the rebound wide.

And the game concluded with first Symmons and then McKean testing Perez at a corner - and she was not found wanting.

IRELAND:L Healy, C Sargent, E Cregan, E Clarke, S McCay, M McDonagh, C McKean, C O'Brien, L Moore, N Symmons, C Parkhill. Subs: E Stewart, A Speers, J O'Halloran, H Moffett, L Jacob.

URUGUAY:P Perez, M De Maite, A Raso, A Nieto, T Algorta, C Gibernau, V Bessio, M Cristiani, M Coates, V Casabo, MJ Fernandez. Subs: F Curutchague, V Bassaizteguy, S Sanguinetti, S Mora.

Umpires:W Stewart (Canada), U Conen (Germany).