HOCKEY: Belgium 4 Ireland 1: IRISH WOMEN'S hockey has suffered its fair share of disappointments over the years in the pursuit of its ultimate ambition, qualification for the Olympic Games.
Extra-time golden goal winners by China and the United States in 2000 and 2004 ended hopes of reaching Sydney and Athens, a loss to Italy four years ago scuppering dreams of qualifying for Beijing.
Yesterday’s defeat to Belgium, though, will hurt more than most, the manner of it more again. Olympic qualification never, perhaps, seemed more achievable, optimism high after a pool campaign that saw comfortable victories over France, Russia and Mexico, and a gritty success over top seeds Spain. But in the end, the hosts, ranked two places below Ireland, proved much too strong for Gene Muller’s team and it is they who take their place in the 12-nation line-up at this summer’s Games. A quick-fire first-half hat-trick by Sofie Gierts, between the 12th and 19th minutes, all but ended the game as a contest, and while Ireland never gave up, pulling a goal back midway through the second period, they never truly looked like threatening Belgium’s advantage.
A year ago the Belgians, not long ago regarded as also-rans in international hockey, beat Ireland 3-0 at the European Championships, the players conceding they froze on the day and never really got going. It was a similar tale yesterday, Ireland’s nerves showing from the start, under- and overhit passes pounced on by a Belgian side with seemingly boundless energy.
The hosts forced a penalty corner as early as the third minute, and not long after captain Charlotte De Vos came close to turning in Anouik Raes’ fiercely struck cross from the left. The pressure was intense, only relieved by a surging Emma Smyth run and cross that flashed across the face of goal, no Irish stick there to greet it.
And then the opening goal came, from nothing, Gierts’ snap shot from the top of the circle placed so perfectly, into the bottom left corner of the goal, Emma Gray was left helpless.
Five minutes later Gierts converted a penalty stroke to make it 2-0, its award, for a stick tackle, seeming harsh, even the Belgians looking pleasantly surprised by the decision. Gierts completed her hat-trick two minutes later, forcing home a well-worked corner at the left post.
Ireland, to their credit, fought gamely to get a goal back before the break, but failed to convert any of the three short corners they earned, the players looking utterly dejected at half-time.
Belgium’s indiscipline in the second half might have given Ireland an opening to get back in the game, for one minute they were even down to nine players when two yellow cards overlapped, but not even Audrey O’Flynn’s eighth goal of the tournament from a penalty corner could herald a revival, Belgium restoring their three-goal advantage within 60 seconds through Erica Coppey.
The decisions didn’t always go Ireland’s way, not least with the stroke, but as O’Flynn conceded after, “they scored four goals, so you really can’t complain.”
IRELAND:E Gray, N Symmons, S McCarthy, C Sargent, E Smyth, L Colvin, E Clarke, L Jacob, A Speers, A Connery, A O'Flynn. Subs: M Harvey, S McCay, N Daly, N Evans, M Crowley.
BELGIUM: N Khouzam, A Raes, L Danhaive, E Coppey, G Valcke, L Cavenaile, C de Vos (capt), B Nelen, J Boon, S Gierts, S de Groof. Subs: A Gerniers, L van Lindt, E Sinia, A S van Regemortel, H Delmee.
Umpires: M Joubert (South Africa) and A Hassick (USA). Olympic Qualifier (at Beerschot, Belgium): Play-offs – Fifth: France 5 Mexico 1. Third: Spain 5 Russia 1. Final: Belgium 4 (S Gierts 3, E Coppey), Ireland 1 (A O'Flynn). Final placings: 1 Belgium, 2 Ireland, 3 Spain, 4 Russia, 5 France, 6 Mexico.
