Ireland 2-5 China
China's clinical edge proved decisive as they walked away 5-2 victors against Ireland in their Four Nations clash in Berlin on Friday.
China won two penalty corners inside the opening four minutes but Ayeisha McFerran made a routine save and rarely looked troubled in the early exchanges.
The Green Army had a penalty corner of their own two minutes later but they couldn’t convert either as the straight shot from Meeke was dealt with by China.
The opening goal came in the 10th minute as the umpire awarded a stroke from a penalty corner routine, Meiyu Lang dispatched the ball to McFerrans left to give her side the 1-0 lead.
The second quarter saw China increase their circle entries but much of their opportunities were being created by loose passes from the Irish with the final ball just eluding the girls in green.
Zoe Wilson and Hannah Mathews marshalled the Irish backline as China attempted to take advantage of the turnovers they were enjoying.
Ireland were back on level terms early in the second half as O’Flanagan was stick tackled on route to goal and Chloe Watkins scored the resulting penalty stroke.
The two sides then exchanged goals over the course of the next six minutes with China taking the lead from a controversial goal as a crash ball up the pitch was deflected in by Mengling Zhong with the Irish defence looking unprepared following an injury.
But Roisin Upton was on hand to level the game again with a superb solo goal; breaking into the circle and wrong footing her marker she riffled the ball high into the net from a tight angle.
But two minutes later China had taken the lead again with some sharp passing down the right-hand side and Yang Peng scored from the P spot as the pass found her open.
Two further goals in the final quarter put a gloss on a game that was far closer than the score line suggests.
Ireland face Korea in their final match of the 4 Nations on Sunday at 11am (Irish time).
Ireland: A McFerran, E Tice, Z Wilson, S McCay, Y O’Byrne, R Upton, N Daly, L Colvin, A O’Flanagan, D Duke, K Mullan (Capt)
Subs: G O’Flanagan, H Mathews, A Meeke, G Pinder, C Watkins, E Russell, N Evans
China: D Li, Q Cui, J Zhang, X Sun, X Ou, Y Zhao, Y Peng, J Zhang, Q Yu, M Wu, X Xi
Subs: J De, N Wang, M Zhong, X Zhang, M Liang, L Gao, J Ye
