Ireland’s men hockey team take step closer to Olympic qualification

Canada 3 (G Johnston, K Pereira, J Wallace) Ireland 5 (S Murray 2, S O’Donoghue 2, C Cargo)

Ireland’s men put themselves into a golden position to claim a second successive Olympic spot as they will carry a two-goal lead after the first leg at Rutledge Field.

They carry a 5-3 lead into Sunday’s second showdown against Canada, punishing the hosts’ indiscipline with three goals while Floris van Son was in the sin-bin.

It was a team unrecognisable from the forlorn European Championships campaign in August, one playing with attacking verve and visible self-confidence from the outset.

They did so in spite of David Harte’s absence through injury, the goalkeeper replaced in the squad at short notice by the uncapped James Milliken with Dave Fitzgerald donning the starter’s smock.

The returning Chris Cargo got what seemed an inevitable opening goal in a rousing first eight minutes when he stole possession and whipped home a reverse-stick shot.

After that, Ireland got a bit rattled and ratty as the low-grade production at the venue saw several confusing video review issues go against them. Canada duly prospered with Gordon Johnston and Keegan Pereira firing off shots that squirmed through Fitzgerald’s defences for a 2-1 half-time lead.

Ireland regrouped and came out firing once again. With van Son in the bin on a green card, Shane O’Donoghue ripped in a drag-flick to the top corner for 2-2. Sean Murray then slammed home from John McKee’s pull back.

Canada replied when Jonathan Wallace redirected a Pereira shot home but the defining spell came when van Son was sent to the bin again, this time on a yellow with 11 minutes to go.

In his absence, Murray got his second with a near post touch from Stu Loughrey’s beautifully angled cross. A minute later, O’Donoghue was celebrating his 110th international goal with a second drag-flick by the left palm of Antoni Kindler.

Skipper Jonathan Bell said of the result: “It’s a good half-time score but that is all it is. The guys came out and played with a lot of energy, a lot of passion and focus in what we did.

“Maybe we conceded a couple of goals that we would have liked to have kept out but Canada are a quality side. We have to step up tomorrow again, improve in a couple of areas.

“Especially in hockey, goals can be scored in seconds. That two-goal lead is a dangerous scoreline but it is a good start but tomorrow will be massive.”

Canada: A Kindler, F van Son, S Tupper, B Logan, K Pereira, A Froese, G Johnston, B Bissett, J Wallace, J Smythe, S Panesar

Subs: G Ho-Garcia, O Scholfield, B Panesar, F Boothroyd, M Sarmento, J Kirkpatrick, D Carter

Ireland: D Fitzgerald, J Jackson, C Harte, L Cole, D Walsh, S O’Donoghue, S Murray, T Cross, J Duncan, J McKee, P Caruth

Subs: J Bell, S Loughrey, C Cargo, M Nelson, E Magee, M Robson, J Milliken