HOCKEY/England 3 Ireland 0:The ambitions of the Irish women to be party poopers at the start of England's jamboree at the European championships survived just 16 minutes against their hostesses in Manchester on Saturday when Alex Danson nicked a free hit suspiciously high from the edge of the circle past Mary Goode into Ireland's goal.

And English were three up by the end of the 70 minutes. Goal number two arrived on the stroke of half-time from Lucilla Wright at a corner awarded for a phantom foot on the ball by Clare Parkill - the alleged offence never happened.

Goode pulled off one particularly fine save with her left boot from Danson in the second half but she was beaten once more just a couple of minutes from full-time by Cathy Gillan-Smith.

IRELAND: M Goode, C O'Brien, J Orbinson, B McKeever, L Caulfield, E Stewart, J McDonagh, N Symmons, E Cregan, E Clarke, C McKean. Subs: R Flinn, C Parkill, A Speers, S McKay.

ENGLAND: B Storry, C Cullen, M Clewlow, H Richardson, L Wright, K Walsh, C Rogers, R Walker, H MacLeod, C Gillat-Smith, A Panter. Subs: R Herbert, K Williams, A Danson, J Ellis.

Umpires: S Bartelma (Netherlands),

T Kaltypan (Ukraine).