Ireland facing Kiwi challenge

Ireland take on New Zealand in their third pool match at the Women's Hockey World Cup qualifier in Rome this evening (7.30pm Irish time).

Reit Kuper's Irish women, who have so far drawn with the in-form USA, and the fancied Koreans will have to produce a exceptional performance to overcome the Kiwi side, who are ranked sixth in the world, seven places higher than Ireland.

There are two pools of six teams in the qualifier. Following the round robin stage the top two teams in each pool automatically qualify for the World Cup in September, with the third and fourth place teams in the pools battling it out for the final qualifying spot.