Irish see off Italy to boost survival hopes

Ireland 3 Italy 0

They now move on to the next stage of the competition tomorrow when they take on Ukraine in a match which, if they win, will guarantee their status in the top echelon of the game in Europe.

Italy was a hurdle they had to overcome first, however, and when Cathy McKean slotted home in the 11th minute after Eimear Cregan caused havoc in the Italian defence, some of the tension among the Irish players evaporated.

Irish coach Gene Muller put it succinctly when he said both teams were “all too aware how high the stakes were” and with the Irish holding only that slender advantage going into the break, not all nerves were settled in the Irish camp.

Seven minutes after the break Jenny McDonough doubled their lead from a penalty corner and the Irish were all but home and hosed.

The Italians they did not throw in the towel and it was only in the 65th minute when Nikki Symmons finished off a fine move in which Cregan and captain Linda Caulfield combined to open up the Italian rearguard, that the Irish could really relax.

They now face what Muller describes as a “tricky” game against the unpredictable Ukrainians and after that face a controversial Azerbaijani side (recently bolstered by the addition of several Koreans) for a possible shot at fifth place overall here.

“Playing the Italians was always going to be tricky because the stakes were so high,” Muller said later. “But we got stronger and more confident as the game went on and deserved what we got. We’re now where we thought we’d be at the outset and we have the Ukrainians next. They are a very unpredictable side and it will be an important game because if we win we guarantee our ‘A’ status.

“I think we will be more relaxed against them, but again there will be a lot at stake, so we will have to prepare well for the challenge,” the coach said.

He admitted it was a risky strategy to bring so many younger players to Manchester for these championships, but maintained this was “a risk-now, thrive-later” strategy, rather than tread water with older players.

How that strategy pans out remains to be seen, but for the moment the Irish are where they expected to be.

IRELAND: M. Goode, C. O’Brien, J. Orbinson, L. Caulfield, E. Clarke, B. McKeever, E. Stewart, C. McKean, E. Cregan, N. Symmons, J. McDonough. Rolling Subs: C. Parkhill, J. O’Halloran, S. McCay, R. Flinn.

ITALY: A. Russo, S. Girotti, R. Dinucci, S. Berrino, C. Scandroli, A. DiBernardo, F. Faustini, A. Blanco, M. Canavosio, V. Quaranta, M. Corso. Rolling subs: D. Possali, F. Zamboni, J. Obrist, C. Torretta, R. Lilliu.