Sport

Ireland impress against New Zealand

HOCKEY/New Zealand 1 Ireland 2: A GOAL in each half, one from Louisa Moore and the other from Julia O'Halloran, gave Ireland…

Thu Feb 28 2008 - 00:00

HOCKEY/New Zealand 1 Ireland 2:A GOAL in each half, one from Louisa Moore and the other from Julia O'Halloran, gave Ireland an impressive 2-1 win over New Zealand, the world's seventh-ranked side, in Wellington yesterday.

Moore's goal came five minutes before the break, the forward converting after fine work down the right by Niamh Small and Ciara O'Brien.

After the hosts equalised in the 40th minute a superb O'Halloran strike restored Ireland's lead, one they did not relinquish.

"This was very satisfying win for the team, we have worked hard this year and to beat the world's seventh-ranked team is a great boost," said coach Gene Muller.

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Ireland play China tomorrow and New Zealand again on Saturday before returning home.

A much refreshed Ireland tore into New Zealand from the start and they could easily have taken the lead in the first five minutes.

A brilliant run by Loreto's Cathy McKean resulted in Ireland's first and only penalty corner of the game, and only a superb save prevented Moore from opening the scoring.

Excellent defending by McKeever and O'Brien kept the New Zealand attack at bay, goalkeeper Healy having to wait 25 minutes before making a save of note.

With five minutes to the break, however, good work by Small and O'Brien created the opening and Moore made no mistake to give her side a deserved 1-0 lead.

New Zealand took control in the second half, and though Healy did well to keep them out, they eventually equalised from open play in the 40th minute.

Ireland continued to counterattack, and Jenny McDonough and Róisín Flinn should have done better with good chances.

But the pressure paid off in the 54th minute and after great work by McDonough, O'Halloran gave the goalkeeper no chance with a wonderful winning strike.

IRELAND: Louisa Healy, Clare Parkhill, Bridget McKeever, Ciara O'Brien, Shirley McCay, Eimear Cregan, Emma Stewart, Nikki Symmons, Cathy McKean, Lisa Jacob Louisa Moore. Rolling subs: Róisín Flinn, Jenny McDonough, Julia O'Halloran, Niamh Small, Hollie Moffett. Not used: Emma Clarke, Mary Goode.