Ireland 0-0 Canada
Ireland Women started their FIH Olympic qualifier play-off with a hard-fought first-leg draw with Canada Women in dreadful conditions at Energia Park in Dublin.
The rain never let up in Donnybrook making life difficult for both sides in a match that the hosts shaded in the possession stakes at least.
The second leg takes place at the same venue tomorrow night at 7.10pm and Sean Dancer’s side will need to work on their attacking play as they failed to work the Canadian goalkeeper beyond a couple of scrappy shots.
First leg ends scoreless - it's up for grabs tomorrow night at 7.10pm #rtesport #GreenArmy #RoadToTokyo pic.twitter.com/mAoZiQgQ7i
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) November 2, 2019
A special pop-up pitch had been laid at the rugby stadium in Dublin 4 and while the scene was set for a thriller in front of 6,086 fans, the constant rain made a free-flowing game almost impossible.
Roisin Upton and Katie Mullan had opportunities but clear-cut chances were few and far between with Nicci Daly producing Ireland's best effort of the first half, the Leinster player seeing her first-time shot saved by Kaitlyn Williams.
The Green Army twice had to manage with 10 women when Hannah Matthews and Beth Barr were green-carded in the first and third quarters but Canada were toothless in attack, with goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran seeing her first action of note in the 42nd minute.
Ireland, ranked eight in the world, seven places above their opponents, tried gallantly to the end to get a leg up in the tie but the game petered out without any significant danger at either end.
"There's 120 minutes of hockey to be played, that the first 60 out of the way," Mullan told RTÉ Sport after the game.
An all-new attendance record for a women's international sporting event in Ireland as 6,086 people braved the elements tonight to cheer on Ireland in Donnybrook Stadium... topping the 6,047 people in there for Ireland's Six Nations match against France earlier this year! #20x20 pic.twitter.com/69H6r05jzZ
— Elaine Buckley (@ElaineBucko) November 2, 2019
"The nervous jitters are out of the way. We would want to execute [some of the penalty corners] but we've got a few in our locker for tomorrow.
"In the second half [the pitch] got a bit slow and we had to change the game plan slightly in order to move the ball around."
Nicola Daly denied as Ireland strive to make a breakthrough #GreenArmy #RoadToTokyo pic.twitter.com/0Dz80TLYtm
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) November 2, 2019
Watch live coverage of the Ireland v Canada Olympic qualifier second leg from Energia Park on RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player from 6.30pm on Sunday.
