Malaysia's hockey team will, presumably, be a little more nervous about Monday's pool match against Ireland in the World League Two in Kuala Lumpur after the scale of the defeat Graham Shaw's side inflicted on Kazakhstan on Saturday .
Hermes-Monkstown's Anna O'Flanagan and Nikki Evans scored seven goals between them in Ireland's 12-0 drubbing of Kazakhstan in their opening game of the tournament. Kazakhstan are ranked at 33 in the world.
Eight of Ireland's goals came in the second half after two apiece from O'Flanagan and Evans had given them a 4-0 half-time lead, the pair adding three more after the break, O'Flanagan bringing her tally to four and Evans completing a hat-trick. Their club-mate Chloe Watkins also chipped in, as did UCD's Katie Mullan and Gillian Pinder, Rebecca Barry of Cork Harlequins and Nicci Daly of Muckross.
The only testing element of the day was the weather. The heat and humidity were intense, but the defensive players in the Irish side, largely spectators throughout the game, had to expend little energy.
Hosts Malaysia beat Hong Kong 9-0 in the day's other pool game, while Italy and Thailand got off to winning starts in Pool A, beating Wales 3-0 and Singapore 4-0.
IRELAND: A McFerran, C Sargent (capt), N Evans, K Mullan, S McCay, C Watkins, L Colvin, L Daly, H Matthews, A O'Flanagan, Z Wilson. Subs: C Cassin, Y O'Byrne, E Tice, N Carroll, G Pinder, R Upton, R Barry.
