WOMEN'S HOCKEY: At Belfield last evening the Irish women's team produced its biggest victory in a competitive international since Riet Kuper was appointed senior coach in February 1998, beating Finland 13-0 in the opening match of its European Nations Cup Qualifying campaign.
Jenny Burke and Arlene Boyles scored four apiece, with Claire McMahon (two), Lynsey McVicker, Laura Lee and Jill Orbinson completing the rout.
Burke opened the floodgates after just three minutes and completed her hat-trick 20 minutes later, while Boyles also helped herself to three goals by half-time, by which time Ireland led 8-0 with McVicker and Lee adding to the scoreline.
Pool A favourites Scotland found themselves a goal down to Italy at half-time at Grange Road yesterday before Rhona Simpson levelled five minutes after the break and Susan Gilmour snatched the winner two minutes from time.
IRELAND: T Browne, L Caulfield, D Sixsmith, A Boyles, P Magill, L Lee, J Orbinson, R Kohler (capt), C McMahon, J Burke, L McVicker. Subs: A Platt, E Cregan, C O'Brien, L O'Neill, S Parkhill.
EUROPEAN NATIONS CUP QUALIFIER (at Belfield and Grange Road) - Pool A: Belarus 6, Greece 1; Italy 1, Scotland 2. Pool B: France 3, Poland 0; Ireland 13 (J Burke 4, A Boyles 4, C McMahon 2, L McVicker, L Lee, J Orbinson), Finland 0. Tomorrow (at Belfield) - Pool A: Greece v Italy, 11.0; Belarus v Scotland, 1.0. Pool B: France v Finland, 5.0; Ireland v Poland, 7.0.
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