Ireland to play Russia in wooden spoon match

Ireland must face the wooden spoon match against Russia at the women's World Cup in Perth, Australia, tomorrow after losing 4-3 to Ukraine.

This was the women’s eighth straight defeat - they have lost every game in the tournament - but the fact that it was the fifth time there had been only one goal difference should give them something to build on.

After a great start when Arlene Boyles scored from a 14th-minute penalty corner the Ukraine hit back within four minutes with a goal from captain Tetyana Kobzenko's own set-piece.

Another corner strike from Boyles - her fifth of the competition - put the Irish ahead again and Jenny Burke made it 3-1.

However, crucially Zhanna Savenko pulled one back five minutes before half-time and two goals in as many minutes soon after the interval from Svitlana Kolomiyets and Natalya Vasyukova put the World Cup debutants into the 13th place play-off against South Africa.