Ireland 1-4 Australia
World champions Australia have beaten Ireland 4-1 in the World Hockey League quarter-finals in Antwerp.
Goals from Matt Gohdes, Jamie Dwyer, Simon Orchard and Blake Govers did the damage for the Kookaburras before Shane O'Donoghue pulled one back for Ireland.
The Aussies go on to contest a semi-final, while Ireland will play in the 5th-8th place-offs on Friday.
It was always going to be a mighty task to defeat the world's No. 1 side, Australia, but the Green Machine put in a dogged performance in the 32 degree heat in Antwerp.
Ireland will head into the 5th-8th place play-offs with a fifth-place finish likely to earn them a spot at the Rio 2016 Olympics if other results go their way in the continental championships to be played later in the year.
It was the Aussies who got on the scoresheet first in the 22nd minute, but it would take them another 23 minutes before they could add to their tally.
The low score in the first three quarters was a testament to the composure and commitment of Ireland’s defence. Davey Harte made several athletic saves but the men in green remained patient and held their shape.
Ireland's main chance in the early stages fell to Alan Sothern after a pin-perfect aerial pass from O’Donoghue. Sothern received the ball at the top of the circle but Australian goalkeeper Andrew Charter impressed to guide the shot wide.
The Australians scored three goals in the space of ten minutes before O’Donoghue’s drag flick meant the match finished 4-1.
After the game, Ireland head coach Craig Fulton expressed mixed emotions at the final result, saying: “I’m incredibly proud of the performance today, at the same time we’re all very disappointed because we believed we could get a result.
"We won four corners at crucial times and we played well to get those but we weren’t clinical enough.
"That said, it was a fantastic effort on everyone’s part in the heat today against the world number ones.
"We look forward to the next game and finishing as high as we possibly can in this tournament."
Ireland’s next match will be on Friday against Pakistan, who were beaten by GBR 2-1.
Team: Harte, Jackson, Bell, Gormley, Watt, Cargo, Caruth, O’Donoghue, Darling, Good, Gleghorne.
Substitutes: Sothern, Dowds, Magee, Shimmins, Carlisle, Fitzgerald, Harte
