Cork crowd can push depleted Ireland to 'statement win' at Páirc Uí Chaoimh

With everything to gain and nothing to lose, Ireland can afford to be quietly confident at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Friday night. 

BATTLE READY: Katie McCabe and Tyler Toland, right, go for the ball in training. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Netherlands manager Arjan Veurink learnt a thing or two about Roy Keane’s home city staging Friday night's match and the sold-out Munster hurling final on Sunday but didn’t need to be educated on his opponents.

“Ireland are really defensive and will try to harm us via their counter-attack and, of course, set-pieces,” said the boss of the group’s leaders.