Third loss may end cup hopes

"We're the last ones to let you down," reads the sign outside a funeral parlour just half a mile from the Irish hockey team's headquarters at Harare's Sheraton Hotel. They passed it last night on the way home from their 3-1 defeat by England, a result that could well lay their World Cup qualifying hopes to rest.

But don't call the undertakers just yet. Despite their third successive defeat in the tournament, yesterday's other Pool A results went their way, with Canada losing to South Africa and Japan going down to India.

So, victories over Canada tomorrow and Japan on Friday would put them into the 5th-8th place play-offs - the top six qualify for the World Cup finals. (A more unlikely set of results might even mean a draw with Canada and a victory over Japan would give Ireland the required fourth place finish in their pool).

"Right then, our tournament starts now," declared a surprised Terry Gregg when he learned that the pool mathematics still gave his team a glimmer of hope.

However, all hope of three points in last night's game, and the first victory over England in a decade, was dashed in the space of five first-half minutes when Ireland conceded two goals. Just 10 minutes into the game Jane Smith opened the scoring with a disputed goal. Goalkeeper Alison Vance saved Jackie Empson's shot but Smith appeared to raise her stick above shoulder height to force the rebound home.

Purdy Miller increased the English lead in the 15th minute after a poor clearance by Vance but the lacklustre Irish, who had just one shot on target in the first half, could have no complaints about the scoreline.

Vance made up for her early error by pulling off a string of outstanding saves in the second half while superb tackles and goal-line clearances by Julie Stewart and Jeanette Turner prevented England from increasing their lead.

The match ended as a contest in the 54th minute when Denise Marston-Smith converted a penalty stroke conceded by Sarah Kelleher for chopping down Tina Cullen. But six minutes from time came the moment the Irish supporters in the stadium had waited 204 minutes to see. An Irish goal in the Magamba Stadium.

At last an Irish short corner worked, at the 16th attempt in this tournament. This time sweeper Arlene Thompson took responsibility for striking goalwards and this time it went in. There'll be Irish dancing in the streets of Harare tonight. A goal? We had to wipe our eyes. A few more of them against Canada and Japan and a place in the next May's World Cup finals in Utrecht might not yet be beyond them.

Ireland: A Vance, K Humphreys, A Thompson, J Stewart, C Craig, R Kohler, J Turner (capt), S Kelleher, C Devine, M Logue, L McVicker. Subs: J Burke, C McMahon, M O'Sullivan, C O'Kelly.

England: H Rose, J Empson, J Smith, K Brown, L Copeland, T Cullen, M Davies (capt), M Nicholls, J Sixsmith, K Bowden, L Wright. Subs: D Marston-Smith, P Miller, C Voss.

Pool A: South Africa 4 (P Coetzee 2, S Wessels, K Bee), Canada 1 (A MacFarlane); India 3 (J Kullu, P Thakran 2), Japan 2 (K Miura, K Minbuta); England 3 (J Smith, P Miller, D Marston-Smith pen), Ireland 1 (A Thompson).

Remaining Pool A fixtures (Irish times) Tomorrow: South Africa v India, 1.0; Ireland v Canada, 3.0; Japan v England, 5.0. Thursday: England v South Africa, 5.0; India v Canada, 7.0. Friday: Ireland v Japan, 1.0.