Ireland shook off some cobwebs but will know there is plenty more to work on after they lost three challenge games to the Netherlands over the past week in Alicante, Spain.
They began with a 4-1 defeat as Paul Revington’s charges were playing their first game together since last August’s European championships.
The Dutch were sharpest early on, with Billy Bakker netting inside the first 60 seconds. Conor Harte rattled the post with a drag-flick but Bakker’s second and a Valentin Verga effort had the Netherlands — without the dropped veteran duo Teun de Nooijer and Taeke Taekema — cruising at 3-0 by the break.
Ireland, for whom Shane O’Donoghue and Jason Lynch were among newer faces in the panel, found their rhythm after the break and Peter Blakeney finished off a fine counter-attack. But Klass Vermeulen had the final say for the Dutch nine minutes from time.
In game two, Ireland were again left to rue the concession of an early goal but upped their performance levels as they lost 2-1.
Former World Young Player of the Year Robbert Kemperman put the Dutch in front in the fourth minute and Roderick Weusthof doubled the lead before half-time, before John Jackson’s wicked reverse-stick strike pulled one back for the Irish.
Game three finished 3-1 to the Dutch, but this was a close tie as Ireland pushed hard in the closing ten minutes for a leveller after Chris Cargo had reduced the margin to the minimum with chances to equalise.
But the Dutch had the details in their favour and closed out the tie in the 67th minute when Valentin Verga notched his second of the series to complete a 3-1 win.
Sander de Wijn’s corner variation and a Roderick Weusthof strike around the 20th minute made it 2-0 after an even opening but the Irish upped their game in the second period.
Reading man Cargo finished off a swift counter to pull one back but Verga had the last say in this series as the Dutch head for 22 days in Australia while Ireland go to Bisham Abbey for two games against Great Britain on Thursday and Friday. A short hop back to Ireland next weekend precedes a flight back out to Valencia to take on Spain and Belgium.
Ireland, for whom Shane O’Donoghue and Jason Lynch were among newer faces in the panel, found their rhythm after the break and Peter Blakeney finished off a fine counter-attack. But Klass Vermeulen had the final say for the Dutch nine minutes from time.
In game two, Ireland were again left to rue the concession of an early goal but upped their performance levels as they lost 2-1.
Former World Young Player of the Year Robbert Kemperman put the Dutch in front in the fourth minute and Roderick Weusthof doubled the lead before half-time, before John Jackson’s wicked reverse-stick strike pulled one back for the Irish.
Game three finished 3-1 to the Dutch, but this was a close tie as Ireland pushed hard in the closing ten minutes for a leveller after Chris Cargo had reduced the margin to the minimum with chances to equalise.
But the Dutch had the details in their favour and closed out the tie in the 67th minute when Valentin Verga notched his second of the series to complete a 3-1 win.
Sander de Wijn’s corner variation and a Roderick Weusthof strike around the 20th minute made it 2-0 after an even opening but the Irish upped their game in the second period.
Reading man Cargo finished off a swift counter to pull one back but Verga had the last say in this series as the Dutch head for 22 days in Australia while Ireland go to Bisham Abbey for two games against Great Britain on Thursday and Friday. A short hop back to Ireland next weekend precedes a flight back out to Valencia to take on Spain and Belgium.