Ireland suffer another set-back in Olympics Hockey campaign

Daire Walsh

Navneet Kaur struck a 57th-minute goal in the Oi Stadium earlier today to consign the Ireland women’s hockey team to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of India in a tense Group A clash at the Tokyo Olympics.

With one win from three games before this tie, Sean Dancer’s charges had looked set to hold out for a draw that would place them on the brink of a spot in the tournament quarter-finals.

India were on the receiving end of three straight defeats in advance of this contest and desperately needed a win to keep their own quest for a knockout place alive.

Their wish was ultimately granted in the closing moments of the action, when a Kaur strike found its way past Irish netminder Ayeisha McFerran. As a result, India now move level on points (three) with their opponents in the group table.

While Ireland remain fourth, tomorrow sees them rounding off the pool stages with a tricky assignment against defending champions Great Britain – who are not yet guaranteed of progression.

Buoyed by this success, India will take on basement side South Africa and will be hopeful another win can keep the heat up on the Irish.

A goalscorer in their sole victory to date – an opening day success over the South Africans – Knocklyon native Sarah Torrans was included amongst Ireland’s starting line-up.

Her Loreto club-mates Hannah Matthews and Nicci Daly were named on the bench for a game that was a rematch of the 2018 World Cup quarter-final that Ireland won on penalties.

McFerran produced a brace of fine stops in the opening quarter, before Deirdre Duke (making her 150th appearance for Ireland) saw a shot diverted away from the target. Anna O’Flanagan was also close to breaking the deadlock, but given the volume of penalty corners they had to defend, Ireland were content to be on level terms at the interval.

Thanks to the presence of the impressive Daly, Ireland did create some good openings in the second half. Muckross’ O’Flanagan was twice denied by India netminder Savita Punia, but the Irish defence were coming under sustained pressure of their own.

Following excellent spade work by Rani Rampal, Kaur was ideally placed to fire home the decisive score of the game in the dying minutes.