Ireland need striker urgently

If Ireland are to make any impression in next year's European Hockey Championship, coach John Clarke must find greater crispness in attack. A finisher in the Hennessy/Gregg mould is required.

This was frustratingly apparent in Saturday's outing against Belgium at Belfield when the visitors won 1-0, with Max Willems scoring from a counter-thrust in the last minute after considerably more opportunities had been created by the home side.

The Belgian goalkeeper, Vincent Deneumostier, sharply kept out short-corner shots from Alastair Dunne and Robin Madeley as Ireland showed more movement in the first half; Nigel Buttimer had a goal disallowed. After the interval Dunne was also foiled by an admirable reverse-stick stop on the line by Renaud Fayt. But there were other chances which could have been put away. While the Irish defence became more tested as the game wore on, Paddy Brown had shown that he may well be the man to permanently occupy the left-back post, and Francis de Rosa, in his first international, played with composure as Alan Dowd's understudy.

Yesterday, in a match which did not count for caps, the accomplished Belgians were the more lively side and won 3-1. Jean Willems notched the first and last goals while their powerful centre-back Philippe Vanhemelen reasserted control from a set-piece after Mark Irwin had finished off an incision by Julian Stevenson to make it 1-1 at half-time.

There may be greater profit from Stevenson's work-rate if a striker can be found to feed off his foraging, perhaps from the under21 ranks. The Irish juniors, incidentally, also have a pair of matches against Belgium at Belfield next weekend before setting off for Padua.

Ireland (Saturday) - N Henderson; G Goulet, F de Rosa, N Cooke (capt) P Brown; L Tumilty, A Dunne, N Buttimer, M Raphael; D Clarke, J Stevenson; Subs: M Irwin, R Madeley, I Steen. Irish XI (yesterday) - I Bateman; S Butler, F de Rosa, N Cooke, P Brown; L Tumilty, A Dunne, I Steen; R Madeley, D Clarke, M Irwin; Subs: M Raphael, J Stevenson, N Buttimer.