In-form Sargent set for landmark century

Cliodhna Sargent could be set to get an early Christmas present this weekend — her 100th Irish senior cap. The 23-year-old Cork Harlequins defender could become one of the youngest players to reach the milestone — team-mate Shirley McCay, six months Sargent’s junior, hit the ton mark in April — if she plays in the remainder of Ireland’s games on their tour of Argentina.

Sargent scored on her 98th appearance in green in last night’s 2-1 defeat to India and should win cap number 99 against the hosts in Parana on Saturday (11pm Irish time), with the landmark set to arrive in Sunday’s classification game. Ireland were left to rue some sloppy first-half defending as their hopes of reaching the Four  Nations final were all but ended by the defeat to India. The Indians scored at each end of the first half to put Gene Muller’s side under the kosh. Sargent rattled home a short corner on 42 minutes — her third in four games — but the world number 13 Asian side held out. On Wednesday, Ireland again missed a chance to beat higher-ranked opposition as they twice gave up leads in the 2-2 draw with South Africa. During last week’s first four nations tournament in Buenos Aires, Ireland were beaten just once in normal time in four games, and saw off India before blowing a two-goal lead to draw with world champions Argentina. Against South Africa this time around, Kilkenny woman Aine Connery got Ireland off to a dream start in the second minute, finishg off after Lizzie Colvin had made the initial inroads down the left. They held the lead until 11 minutes after the break when South Africa equalised from a Kate Woods corner. Ireland went straight down the other end and regained the lead as skipper Alex Speers hoovered up a rebound, only for another South African corner to level it again on 53 minutes as fellow corner injector Tarryn Bright did likewise. There was also a personal highlight during that game for Loreto schemer Niamh Small, who won her 50th cap.