MATCH 4
Ireland’s senior men ended their four-game series with Malaysia on a bright note, with Timmy Cockram’s pair of switched drag-flicks giving them a 2-1 win.
Mohamed Razie had flicked the Asian side in front early on, but the Lisnagarvey man made the most of Ireland’s only two corners, to chalk up their first win of the series, and a confidence-booster ahead of next week’s Five Nations series in Paris.
Irish coach Paul Revington said: “Tonight was better for us as we performed for 50 minutes, but the first 10 or 15 minutes were still a bit tentative for which there is no reason.
“There were fewer gifts tonight and that meant more control in the game by the Irish, which resulted in more sustained pressure for which we were duly rewarded.”
IRELAND: David Harte (GK); John Jackson; Geoff McCabe; Ronan Gormley; Chris Cargo; Alan Giles; Joe Brennan; Eugene Magee; Andy McConnell; Phelie Maguire; Mitch Darling; Timmy Cockram; Alan Sothern; David Ames; Paul Gleghorne; Conor Harte.
MATCH 3
The curse of the 3-2, last minute concession affected Ireland yet again as the Irish senior men were undone by Hanfi Hafifihafiz’ late corner deflection to take the spoils at Belfield in the third of four internationals at Belfield this week.
Such a scoreline twice undid the Ireland U-17 girls and this one was similarly frustrating as the boys in green bounced back from a 2-0 deficit only to give up a late corner.
Paul Revington made wholescale changes with John Jackson, Eugene Magee, Mitch Darling, Timmy Cockram and Conor Harte making their first appearances since the summer break with Andy McConnell, David Ames and Ronan Gormley coming back into the side.
And the coach admitted afterwards the changes led to a rusty performance, taking over 45 minutes to truly click into gear.
Speaking after the game, Revington said: “We are disappointed to lose in the final minute having worked hard to get back into the game. Also we are disappointed that two of the goals came from one v one situations that we lost and that needs to be rectified.
“I thought this group took 35 minutes to get back into international standard of the game tempo and showed in the second half that they equally matched the pace and tempo of Malaysians. Tomorrow we want to play at a high level and tempo for the duration of the game.”
Malaysia bossed the first period and took just four minutes to get on top. Ahmad Tajudin – a thorn in both prior matches – glided down the right touchline before Hanfi Hafifihafiz’ deflection from close range looped goalward and Baljit Singh made sure with a high tap in at the back post.
Cockram fizzed a reverse moments later which the returning Jamluddin Roslan getting a toe ahead to the ball, inches before the sliding Magee. But it was as good as Ireland created before the interval as they relied on three superb Joe Brennan interventions to break up attacks while Ronan Gormley cleared Tajudin’s slipped cross from the goalmouth.
Gleghorne blocked down two corner strikes in quick succession while Iain Walker continued his decent form between the posts.
Ireland played a deeper formation, perhaps attempting to deny the space afforded to Malaysia on Thursday night. The Asian side, as a result, held plenty of possession and stole in on a number of sketchy mistakes.
It became 2-0 in the 40th minute in stunning style – a steal on their own 25 metre line precipitated a five-second transfer with Saari Faizal using a semi-upright reverse to clip in off the inside of the post with only two passes needed to forge the opportunity.
Ireland’s attacks to this point were frustrated on the fringes of the circle, numerous crash balls blocked out by the first defender.
But they got a lifeline 18 minutes from time with a brilliant created move – Jason Lynch’s right-wing hit redirected into Timmy Cockram’s path by Andy McConnell.
It came up slightly awkwardly up from a defender’s stick but he kept his eye on the ball to volley on his reverse from about the flick spot past a scrambling Roslan. Walker denied a Faizal one-on-one chance and dived to tip Muhamad Amin’s drag-flick around the post.
And when Alan Sothern dragged home Ireland’s second corner with seven minutes to go to tie the game up, Ireland were on the verge of an unlikely result.
But Malaysia nicked a late corner and Amin’s drag to the right post neatly located the sliding Hafifihafiz for the winner. They play their fourth fixture of the week tomorrow at Belfield at 7pm.
Words: Stephen Findlater
IRELAND: Iain Walker, Ronan Gormley (capt), John Jackson, Chris Cargo, Eugene Magee, Andy McConnell, Mitch Darling, Timmy Cockram, David Ames, Paul Gleghorne, Conor Harte
Subs: Alan Sothern, Joe Brennan, Phelie Maguire, Bruce McCandless, Jason Lynch
MALAYSIA: Jamluddin Roslan, Muhamad Amin, Muhammad Marhan, Madzli Ikmar, Saari Faizal, Mohamad Sukri, Misron Azlan, Muhammad Razie, Hanfi Hafifihafiz, Baljit Singh, Ahmad Tajudin
Subs: Tajol Rosli, Izwan Firdaus, Muhamad Azammi, Azreen Rizal
Umpires: Dan Clarke, Robert Johnston
MATCH 2
Malaysia withstood 37 minutes of suspensions to roast an undercooked Ireland at Belfield last night in the second of four challenge matches, scoring twice after Nabil Figri was red carded in the 42nd minute.
He was given his marching orders for an off-the-ball incident, taking a cut at Gareth Watkins in the circle as the crowd’s attention was more keenly focussed on a long corner.
It was one of numerous talking points of a feisty affair which the visitors were delighted to take the win having visibly shown frustration with what they felt were home-town umpiring decisions.
But they played the endgame well, using the incredible speed of Hanfi Hafifihafiz, Misron Azlan and Ahmad Tajudin to devastating effect.
Paul Revington kept a reasonably inexperienced side with Ronan Gormley stepping out of defence with Paul Gleghorne moving in while Chris Cargo and Geoff McCabe in for Andy McConnell and David Ames.
And the hosts had their first shot in anger on just 24 seconds when Brian Doherty’s long overhead found Alan Giles in the circle to whistle a volley over the bar.
Baljit Singh picked up the first suspension of the night in the eighth minute – the first of four cards his side would see to Ireland’s none – but his side took the lead in the 19th minute after an exchange of corners yielded no joy.
It was earned from a typically fast left-wing run. The corner, itself, did not go quite to plan. Muhammad Razie’s spin did not lay the ball up for the intended drag-flicker but he kept possession to tee up Saari Faizal’s precision flick to the top corner.
With the lead, Malaysia reverted to a half-court press and it almost paid dividends when they picked off a loose Irish pass – following a minute of possession with little penetration – but Hafifihafiz scuffed his finish with the goal beckoning.
Ireland were back on terms from their second corner in the 26th minute, Alan Giles sharply controlling Brian Doherty’s corner rebound and batting in a volley.
But parity lasted just a couple of minutes as an Irish mistrap in the attacking 25 saw Faizal pick the ball up show a breathtaking clean pair of heals to burn off three chasers and Izwan Firdaus swept home a simple finish; 2-1 at half-time.
Their evening, though, looked to have turned sour when Nabil Figri was shown the straight red soon after the break. Joe Brennan thought he had levelled from a corner rebound but his effort was disallowed, deemed over shoulder height, after initially being awarded.
The resulting retaken corner was comfortably tipped around the post by the impressive Kalruilnizam. He saved twice more amid a goalmouth melee when Malaysia were down to nine men – Singh taking his second card of the evening.
Peter Caruth’s punch shot bounced Chris Cargo’s way and his swipe was brilliantly blocked back into play but an infringement was called en route and a penalty stroke ensued.
Alan Sothern netted to the left but was ordered to retake, this time switching to his right and garnering the same effect for 2-2 with 17 minutes to go.
The momentum looked likely to all be one way but Malaysia had a breath-taking sucker-punch in store.
Muhammad Razie’s perfectly weighted, 70-metre overhead, was retrieved by Hafifihafiz in the left corner. He picked out Misron Azlan on the circle’s edge who was joined on the flick spot by Ahmad Tajudin and they worked the overload simply for the go-ahead goal.
And they sealed the win in the 59th minute, again from play, when Azlan battered home from the top of the circle.
Ireland created a bit more bedlam in front of Kalruilnizam’s goal, let a fifth corner slip out of their hands while Malaysia endured another yellow card for dissent in the closing stages to end out a lively night in suitable chaotic fashion.
Words: Stephen Findlater
IRELAND: Iain Walker, Paul Gleghorne, Brian Doherty, Michael Maguire, Adam Pritchard, Phelie Maguire, Alan Giles, Bruce McCandless, Alan Sothern, Chris Cargo
Subs: Gareth Watkins, Peter Caruth, Peter Blakeney, Jason Lynch, Joe Brennan
MALAYSIA: Ibrahim Kairuilnizam, Rahim Muhamad Amin, Muhammad Marhan, Madzli Ikmar, Mohamed Sukri, Misron Azlan, Muhamad Razie, Hanfi Hafifihafiz, Baljit Singh, Ahmad Tajudin, Nabil Figri
Subs: Ahmad Kazamirul, Izwan Firdaus, Saari Faizal, Mohan Jivan, Azreen Rizal
Umpires: Kris Cholewa, Kieran Bolger
Saturday, 7pm: Ireland vs Malaysia, Belfield
Sunday, 7pm: Ireland vs Malaysia, Belfield
Words: Stephen Findlater
MATCH 1
Alan Giles and Joe Brennan were among those to impress Irish national men’s coach Paul Revington as the national side began their new season with a 3-3 draw in the first of four games with Malaysia at Belfield tonight.
A side largely devoid of the more experienced members of the panel saw Munster’s Adam Prtichard and Jason Lynch return to the international fold, with the country’s top non-retired goalscorer John Jermyn set to resume his duties after the summer break later in the week.
Chances were few and far between, but the majority of those carved out were converted; Ireland, for example, made three of their four penalty corners count on the scoreboard.
Ireland made the breakthrough after a low-key opening 20 minutes through Bruce McCandless, who fired in a second phase corner rebound after David Ames’ initial drag-flick was rebuffed.
But Malaysia were back at level pegging before the break, when Marhan’s centre from the left of the circle appeared to go in off Irish skipper Ronan Gormley but was credited to Hanfi Hafifihafiz.
Alan Sothern had Ireland back in front on 47 minutes with a trademark drag, after Giles’ trickery had won the set-piece, but the visitors wiped out that advantage again with a goal of sublime quality on 63 minutes while Brian Doherty was in the sin-bin.
Ahmad Tajudin outrageously flipped the ball past two Irish defenders from a long corner to engineer the chance, and then slid in to dink the ball over the advancing Iain Walker to score.
Tajudin’s second arrived four mintues later to seemingly secure a Malaysian win – this time it was far simpler, as he tapped in Misron Azlan’s inch-perfect pass.
All looked lost for Ireland when Ames saw yellow with four minutes remaining, but Sothern saved their blushes with his second drag in the last 60 seconds, nutmegging the keeper via his pads.
Irish assistant coach Arul Anthoni was satisfied with a performance against a Malaysian side “at their peak”
“We have been trying some new defensive tactics and we were pleased with how this went against Malaysia tonight,” he said.
“Obviously, Malaysia have some fast and furious players and they are busy preparing for the Commonwealth Game and Asian Games later in the year, so they are at their peak.”
Ireland play Malaysia again at 8pm tomorrow, with skipper Gormley dropping out of the panel to the benefit of Paul Gleghorne in Revington’s only change.
IRELAND: Iain Walker (GK), Ronan Gormley (capt), Joe Brennan, Michael Maguire, Brian Doherty, Tim Lewis, Alan Giles, Bruce McCandless, Jason Lynch, Peter Caruth, Phelie Maguire, Gareth Watkins, Peter Blakeney, Alan Sothern.
