Britain still too strong

In a repeat of Sunday's score-line, when the teams met in the four-nations tournament, Ireland lost 4-0 to Britain yesterday in the first of their three unofficial matches in Barcelona this week. Scottish international Rhona Simpson opened the scoring after eight minutes and doubled the lead midway through the first half with a strike from a penalty corner. Tina Cullen made it 3-0 early in the second half before Lucilla Wright completed the scoring in the final minute.

All 20 players on the Irish panel featured in the match, including the uncapped quartet who all came on as substitutes - goalkeeper Angela Platt, Shauna Parkhill (who replaced Pamela Magill at left-back after 15 minutes), forward Cathy McKean and Jenny Osborne, a midfielder at club level but used at right wing in yesterday's game.

Once again a goal proved beyond the Irish attack but they did at least force four penalty corners, compared to none in Sunday's game. They play Spain tomorrow and on Friday before flying home on Saturday.

Ireland: T Browne, L Caulfield, A Thompson, D Sixsmith, P Magill, M Logue (capt.), L Brown, R Kohler, C McMahon, J Burke, L McVicker. Subs: K Mills, J Orbinson, K O'Brien, C Carey, K Humphreys, C McKean, A Platt, J Osborne, S Parkhill.