Goals still hard to come by for Ireland

Ireland’s women did little wrong defensively but again must be concerned at the lack of goals from play after completing their series of games in Johannesburg. Gene Muller watched his side create decent opportunities throughout their five-and-a-half games – the final tie with Belgium was called off at 1-1 due to a waterlogged pitch – but for a return of just four goals. Three of those came from defenders at short corners, which also produced the main near misses, though Nikki Evans’ brilliant reverse-stick strike against Belgium – a first goal from play since Aine Connery’s against India in December – did end things on a brighter note.

Cork Harlequins defender Cliodhna Sargent’s pair of corner bashes helped Ireland open their tour with a 2-1 defeat of South Africa. She netted 43 seconds from time to hand Ireland their first ever victory over South Africa, winning their warm-up game at high altitude in Randburg. It was her second of the evening with Jade Mayne’s rebound the response from the home side who had gone unbeaten in four matches against Ireland in the past 18 months. Things took a turn for the worse in their second build-up clash, this time with the Belgians, who will host Ireland’s Olympic qualifier at Beerschot in March. Stephanie de Groof’s 11th minute goal – on her 5oth cap – handed Belgium a 1-0 win, with Audrey O’Flynn’s close calls at corner time representing Ireland’s best chance at replying. Louisa Healy also saved a de Groof penalty stroke. With the Investec Tri-Nations Series getting underway a day later, world record goalscorer Pietie Coetzee nailed a penalty corner drag-flick past the outstanding Emma Gray in the seventh minute to clinch a 1-0 win for South Africa. It brought her tally to 231 goals in 234 matches but she was left disappointed as she could not make further use of another seven corners. Ireland then fell to their third successive 1-0 loss as Sofie Gierts pounced to give Belgium their second consecutive win over the girls in green. They started off in decent fashion, winning an early corner while Emma Smyth struck the outside of the goal before Belgium picked up some momentum and they hit the front in the 17th minute when Gierts gobbled up a rebound created by Jill Boon’s initial shot. O’Flynn clattered the bar with a corner 40 seconds into the second half as Ireland began to turn the screw, but again goals weren’t forthcoming. Ireland did have the consolation of remaining unbeaten in their two matches thereafter, and were unlucky not to claim a first win as Nicolene Terblanche’s goal five minutes from time cancelled out Michelle Harvey’s early drag-flick in a 1-1 draw with South Africa. Their final game was called off at half-time due to a waterlogged pitch. The girls in green were drawing 1-1 with Belgium at the time, thanks to Nikki Evans’ searing backhand strike as Ireland finally scored from play. Next on the agenda for Ireland is a three-day training camp in Beerschot on February 25 before the Olympic qualifier begins on St Patrick’s Day. Warm-up matches Ireland 2 (C Sargent 2) South Africa 1 (J Mayne) Ireland 0 Belgium 1 (S de Groof) Investec Tri-Nations Series  Ireland 0 South Africa 1 (P Coetzee) Ireland 0 Belgium 1 (S Gierts) Ireland 1 (M Harvey) South Africa 1 (N Terblanche) Ireland 1 (N Evans) Belgium 1 (S Gierts) (abandoned due to waterlogged pitch)