Ireland 2-0 Lithuania
Ireland took a big step towards fulfilling their Olympic qualification ambitions with a 2-0 quarter-final win over Lithuania in their World League round two clash at Belfield.
The win sets up a semi-final date with Belarus where a win would ensure a ticket to round three of the World League where the places to Rio in 2016 will be settled.
Two first half goals from set pieces – one from Nikki Evans, the other from captain Megan Frazer – killed off what proved a low-key battle as the Lithuanians packed numbers behind the ball which stifled any goalmouth action.
In the early phases, Ireland did manage to run up a series of penalty corners. Gillian Pinder, Frazer and Emma Smyth all had pot-shots before Cliodhna Sargent saw a hit cleared off the line by Simona Grubliauskaite.
The home side eventually broke through in the 20th minute from the fifth corner, Sargent diverting play to the right post where Evans slid in for her second goal of the tournament.
Another penalty corner forged goal number two as Shirley McCay’s sweep bounced off a defensive foot on the line. Frazer rolled home with little fuss for a 2-0 half-time lead.
Thereafter, Lithuania failed to muster a shot in anger, while Ireland were thwarted by a packed defence in the second half despite numerous attacks.
Nonetheless, the semi-final berth was assured and now Darren Smith’s side face Belarus in the semi-finals of the competition. Three of the four semi-finalists will win a place at World League round three.
Speaking afterwards, coach Smith said it was a frustrating game but the result was the all important factor.
“Lithuania slowed the game up and we obliged a bit,” he said. “We needed to try and get out of that hole and try and quicken things up, play the game with a bit more aggression.
“In terms of the result, 2-0 is great as is being in a semi-final. In terms of watching the game, it had that slow tentative feeling and it was hard for us to get out of second gear and was a tough watch.”
As for meeting Belarus in the semi-final, who reached the last four by beating Ukraine 5-1, Smith is expecting a much more open tussle.
“We played Belarus twice in 2013 and I think they have gotten better and better. They finished strong against Ukraine, have some dangerous forwards and good distributors from the back," he said.
“We look forward to matching up against them on Saturday for a good, hard game to hopefully progress out of World League 2.”
Ireland: E Gray, C Sargent, E Smyth, N Evans, S McCay, M Frazer, A Connery, N Daly, H Matthews A O’Flanagan, G Pinder.
Subs: N Carroll, C Watkins, L Colvin, K Mullan, K Dillon, A Meeke, A McFerran.
