Hockey: Ireland have 'something to build on' after World Cup opener despite defeat to Australia

Mark Tumilty’s side grew into the game in Belgium.

Ireland’s Lee Cole battles for the ball against Australia. Pic: INPHO/Will Palmer

This was a Men’s World Cup pool opener which showed Ireland’s lack of consistent Test match experience as Australia ran out 3-1 winners in the Belgian city of Wavre.

Having been relegated from the FIH Pro League, a portion of Mark Tumilty’s squad hadn’t played a meaningful set of matches since the World Cup qualifiers in March.

Tellingly, world No.4 Australia produced a clinical opening 30 minutes, before Ireland turned the tables with a superb second-half-display, with Ali Empey netting and Kookaburras’ goalkeeper Ash Thomas forced into a succession of world-class saves.

Ireland coach Mark Tumilty said: “We talked before how we expected them to start the game and physically they were excellent and closed a lot of the channels we wanted to attack.

“In the second-half we were fluid. We can be pleased with that and it gives us something to build on.” 

Captain Kyle Marshall had highlighted the dangers and "electrifying speed" of their rival pool teams. But it was the pure power of the Kookaburras' penalty corner threat which cut through Ireland as 30-year-olds Joel Rintala and Blake Govers produced three sublime strikes to seal the points.

Rintala won't score many more fortuitous goals as Australia's seventh-minute opener. His low penalty corner strike hit the right post, popped back and deflected off goalkeeper Jamie Carr's back leg.

Ireland increasingly found it difficult to exploit space with Australia's man-to-man tactics in the opening quarter.

Australia nearly doubled their lead with a carbon copy of their opener when Blake Govers hit Carr's left post before Lee Cole cleared off the line.

Midway through the second quarter Rintala, with his 17th goal from just 18 caps, did double his tally as his whipped corner strike proved too quick for Ireland's post men.

Before half-time, Govers got in on the act from the top of the D, beating Carr to his left. To underline his prowess, this was Govers' 167th goal in 180 appearances.

Ireland's first real sighting on goal came in the third quarter when Ben Walker's close deflection was brilliantly saved by Thomas.

A brighter Green Machine were now having their best spell of possession as they limited circle opportunities.

After Thomas produced a deflected pad save over the bar, Empey's quick reactions saw him volley home superbly after a circle scramble with 11 minutes left.

Australia somehow kept out a counter attack move after Thomas then stick saved while grounded.

With 90 seconds left, Cole hit the post with a rifled penalty corner effort while a re-award was expertly picked off the line.

Sean Murray said: “We haven’t had too much experience in the last year. It was a game of two halves but we were perhaps a bit nervous and getting up to the level of a top team.

“We showed guts and much more quality in the second half. We went out and played a bit more free.” 

The frantic ending will be heartening for Ireland, who now play South Africa on Tuesday in a must-win game to keep their ambitions of a top two finish alive.