Ireland’s U17 girls ended their Youth Olympic adventure in Singapore with a 3-1 win over South Africa this morning, guaranteeing them a fifth-place finish.
Katie Mullan’s early double proved the catalyst for a second win over South Africa in a matter of days. Mullan has been desperately unlucky not to hit the target in earlier games, but came up trumps as early as the fifth minute here, when captain Leah Ewart drove into the circle and passed to the unmarked striker to score.
Ireland's players celebrate after beating South Africa 3-1. Photo: SPH-SYOGOC/Suhaimi Abdullah
South Africa responded fiercely, Keisha Arnolds and Quanita Bobbs denied at corner-time before Mullan’s counter caught them cold in the 15th minute to make it 2-0.
Jacintha Jubb pulled one back before half-time but any chance of an equaliser was blocked out by a pair of Jenna Holmes’ saves. And they were to prove critical in a tense second half with Ewart settling the tie in the 56th minute.
Katherine Morris won a corner from which Mullan’s shot was saved by goalkeeper Phumelela Mbande, but the rebound landed in front of Ewart who scarcely hesitated and smashed the ball into the goal.
It copper-fastened the win to round off a second win of a memorable week for the players and they were joined on a lap of honour by the South Africans after the match to take in the applause of the appreciative spectators for their efforts in the high humidity at the SengKang Stadium.
Una McCarthy, speaking after the game, was delighted with the strong finish: “the team were fantastic in the second half and thoroughly deserved the win. They have played really well all week and this was the least they deserved.”
Coach Dave Passmore added: “This young group have done exceptionally well dealing with the very difficult conditions.
“They have grown in stature and confidence all week and have excelled expectations in their performances and will have learned from the near misses and late goals conceded late in matches.
“They have been fantastic to work with and the support from parents and friends has been such a help to us all.”
IRELAND: Jenna Holmes, Rebecca Barry, Emily Beatty, Amy Cooke, Leah Ewart (capt), Lisa McCarthy, Kerri McDonald, Antonia McGrath, Lucy McKee, Kathryn Mullan, Roisin Upton
Subs: Chloe Brown, Katherine Morris, Joanne Orr, Amy-Kate Trevor
A young group of girls including 3 Munster girls do fantastically in a world level tournament finishing a creditable 5th and appearing to do really well against teams like South Africa, New Zealand and Korea and the delightful Munster Hockey world want to use the forum to slag off the IHA. WELL DONE GIRLS….and to the fool who wrote this KEEP THIS FORUM TO WHAT IT IS MEANT FOR or run the risk of losing it.
This behaviour was totally out of order by the Irish management team and I’m not surprised by the reaction of the tournament organisers. The rules are the rules!
Its nothing to do with the girls! The girls did fantastically well. I just wonder why our association cant do things properly!
Think back over the last year or so what the IHA have done:
Pembroke Gate (Fielding an ineligable player and allowed to continue in the ISC)
Gene muller Keeping a job that any Irish coach would have been fired from with the poor record he has.
Centralisation
All Male Under 18 staff resigining stating they were lied to
And now this debacle in Singapore, where the association blatetly hangs out one of its coaches to dry.
In all fairness it is the players who deserve fantastic praise, for getting on with it.
Alas I suppose no one cares how the association runs, its all just about caps, and reward for players by being capped. The association needs to do better thats the main point and a clean slate may be the way to go.
After London 2012 there will be big changes in Irish hockey and just wait to see who is still here and who jumps ship!
Firstly well done to the girls who seem to have represented our game very well in the first ever Youth Olympics.
But I cannot help but worry that again their achievements will be overshadowed by the actions of a team of people under the guidance of a full time IHA employee. It appears to me, as touched upon in the last email that there are now a group of employees that are “untouchable” and who continue to discredit our game both on and off the pitch. Surely we as the people who constitutonally put them there must act to safeguard the future of our game!
And the point that surprises me the most is that a massive issue like this is being publically ignored by our governing body. Why does our CEO not address this issue publically, if only to state that they are aware of the issue and that it will be addressed in due course.
I worry for our game in the near future with these guys running it – anyone else worried???
I’m Worried
Looks like most of the men are jumping ship. I wonder if this is to do with the ladies getting the bulk of the funding and the ladies getting to the youth olympics.
The men will have to pay for themselves to come home and if they cannot the best players will not be available.
The I.H.A. is a complete shambles, after 38 years of being involved as a player, inter-pros and at internationals i am walking away and can see no future for the game, especially on the mens side.
September 1, 2010 at 9:19 am I completely agree and I hope you can effect change, I am to tired to bother any more
Seems to me that it will be the old Irish ladies Association.
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Anyone see the debacle at the tournament with McCarthy being banned for the last game? The letter to the IHA is hilarious, seems they got caught up in their own lying for once! http://209.20.80.25/vsite/vfile/page/fileurl/0,11040,5242-202936-220159-167391-0-file,00.pdf
Here we go again!!
A young group of girls including 3 Munster girls do fantastically in a world level tournament finishing a creditable 5th and appearing to do really well against teams like South Africa, New Zealand and Korea and the delightful Munster Hockey world want to use the forum to slag off the IHA. WELL DONE GIRLS….and to the fool who wrote this KEEP THIS FORUM TO WHAT IT IS MEANT FOR or run the risk of losing it.
This behaviour was totally out of order by the Irish management team and I’m not surprised by the reaction of the tournament organisers. The rules are the rules!
Its nothing to do with the girls! The girls did fantastically well. I just wonder why our association cant do things properly!
Think back over the last year or so what the IHA have done:
Pembroke Gate (Fielding an ineligable player and allowed to continue in the ISC)
Gene muller Keeping a job that any Irish coach would have been fired from with the poor record he has.
Centralisation
All Male Under 18 staff resigining stating they were lied to
And now this debacle in Singapore, where the association blatetly hangs out one of its coaches to dry.
In all fairness it is the players who deserve fantastic praise, for getting on with it.
Alas I suppose no one cares how the association runs, its all just about caps, and reward for players by being capped. The association needs to do better thats the main point and a clean slate may be the way to go.
After London 2012 there will be big changes in Irish hockey and just wait to see who is still here and who jumps ship!
Firstly well done to the girls who seem to have represented our game very well in the first ever Youth Olympics.
But I cannot help but worry that again their achievements will be overshadowed by the actions of a team of people under the guidance of a full time IHA employee. It appears to me, as touched upon in the last email that there are now a group of employees that are “untouchable” and who continue to discredit our game both on and off the pitch. Surely we as the people who constitutonally put them there must act to safeguard the future of our game!
And the point that surprises me the most is that a massive issue like this is being publically ignored by our governing body. Why does our CEO not address this issue publically, if only to state that they are aware of the issue and that it will be addressed in due course.
I worry for our game in the near future with these guys running it – anyone else worried???
I’m Worried
Looks like most of the men are jumping ship. I wonder if this is to do with the ladies getting the bulk of the funding and the ladies getting to the youth olympics.
The men will have to pay for themselves to come home and if they cannot the best players will not be available.
The I.H.A. is a complete shambles, after 38 years of being involved as a player, inter-pros and at internationals i am walking away and can see no future for the game, especially on the mens side.
September 1, 2010 at 9:19 am I completely agree and I hope you can effect change, I am to tired to bother any more
Seems to me that it will be the old Irish ladies Association.