Ireland’s World Cup qualification dreams are already hanging by a thread following a disastrous 3-0 defeat by Malaysia in Santiago this afternoon.
Gene Muller described the girls in green’s performance as “the weakest for over the past two or three years”, as three second half goals were their undoing after the riding their luck in the first period.
The mitigating factors in the build-up have been well documented, but 48 hours after arriving in the country, the side produced a disappointing all round performance in which few players reached their full potential.
Ireland's Emma Clarke on the charge against Malaysia. Picture: HockeyPress Argentina (Jaramillo and Correa Arce)/Irish Hockey Association
Malaysia bossed the opening stages, earning three penalty corners inside eight minutes. The first was easily dealt but the second opened up for Fazilla Sylvester Silin after two initial blocks. But she fresh-aired the ball from three yards with the goal gaping, allowing Ireland to scramble clear.
Megan Frazer, one who showed up well in the opening period, earned Ireland their only corner of the half but Audrey O’Flynn’s disguised drag was cleared before Eimear Cregan could get a goalward touch.
It was a rare opening, though. The Asian side, by contrast, were able to open Ireland up with a series of crashed long balls which twice left Ireland scrambling with attackers behind their back four, one of whom drew a brilliant right-foot save from Mary Goode while O’Flynn – in her major tournament debut – did well with a last gasp jab to deny another clear chance.
But Malaysia’s pressure was scarcely interrupted by half-time, winning another corner 25 seconds into the second period. And from their seventh corner in the 43rd minute, Norbiani Hashim eventually broke the deadlock.
Goode had saved well twice in quick succession but was helpless as her pads were not cleared and Hashim lifted over the keeper.
And Malaysia then managed to quickly double their lead when Sylvester raced down the right wing and squared for Rabiatul Mohamad to apply a deft, first time, near-post touch for a 2-0 lead.
Ireland instantly earned a pair of corners but Shirley McCay’s deflection went just wide from the side’s only clear chance.
And the disappointment was complete when Norazlin Sumantri hit home from the top of the circle with six minutes to go.
Ireland's Audrey O'Flynn clears the ball. Picture: HockeyPress Argentina (Jaramillo and Correa Arce)/Irish Hockey Association
Speaking afterwards, Gene Muller was hugely disappointed by his team’s efforts: “We didn’t have nearly enough players who played to their potential, that’s the most disappointing thing.
“You can stomach a loss and that’s part of what we do but we only had three players to play to potential. Firstly, you can’t win and worse, you don’t deserve to win.”
Ireland maintain a mathematical chance of reaching the World Cup but need to win their remaining three fixtures against Scotland, Chile and favourites Australia.
IRELAND: M Goode, C Sargent, E Cregan, E Clarke, B Cleland, A Speers, M Frazer, N Symmons, A O’Flynn, E Smyth, L Colvin
Subs: M Harvey, R Flinn, S McCay, L Jacob, J O’Halloran
Standings (played, points, goal difference): 1. Australia 1-3pts (+5) 2. Malaysia 2-3pts (+2) 3. Chile 2-3pts (-4) 4. Scotland 0-0pts 5. Ireland 1-0pts (-3)
For more photos from Ireland vs Malaysia, click here. To listen to or download a post-match audio interview with Gene Muller, click here.
Post Author:
alangood
5 Replies to “Malaysia leave Irish hopes on the rocks”
Hardluck to the girls out there. Cannot be easy arriving so late. Keep up the good work and best of luck for the rest of the matches.
At least the organisers of their tournament in Chile are accomodating players and teams due to the circumstances….unlike the Munster Branch and their thoughtless decision tonight regarding the Quins v UCC play off. Disgraceful.
Hardluck does not come into it, did you hear Gene’s comments after the game, only 3 players played to their potential, why does that happen? You cant blame that on the Ash cloud.
In relation to the Munster Branch they just want rid of the problem of a league playoff, on their terms it does not matter to them that the girls who earned the right to play in that fixture should all be accomodated with a suitable date, time and venue.
Im sure UCC and Harlequins could work a more appropriate time, venue and date out themselves rather than being dictated too!
People yapping on about stuff they only have one side of the story of.
Both clubs were given a deadline to fix a date but didn’t. Munster fixed it for them I suppose since they couldn’t. They the clubs went off and organised a date at short notice from what I gather.
What about us who aren’t from your beloved UCC or Quins. I fully intended on going to watch the playoff, its exciting hockey. How was I gonna know it was on wed night with ye only organising the night before.
Get a grip, there are more people involved in hockey than just players and they do a lot of organinsing so ye can play hockey at the level ye play at.
Right now I will not be attending the palyoff because of crazy comments like above.
Ye are not the only clubs in Munster!!! Get over yourselves or go join the Munster branch and make it better in your eyes and stop giving out.
Reply to Disgruntled…its not like womens hockey attract huge numbers of supporters.
I was at the Quins game last weekend to see them play to win back the title and at most there were 20 people there. Majority of these were the girls parents or Ucc and CI players waiting to learn their fate.
This time of the year the fixtures need to suit the players not the branch. Its the players that keep the game going, not the tiny crowds we attract.
Its a long weekend, most people have plans already made and Ucc are starting exams.
I agree thought that more notice of the fixture should have been given if they were going to play on wednesday night. It just seems madness to me that the branch control the time and place of this fixture when not one of them will even be there and they will probably only make about 100 euro from the gate
as usual its the players that suffer, this is not helping the game at all.
Disgruntled: People are being driven away from the Brach, what is the incentive to be involved? Its a joke really. Needs a serious freshen up with some young people who can represent the views of the players in the province. Question is will they be listened to? Or will their opinions count!! All we can ask is that things are fair on all, and dictating re game times and venue just doesnt work, surely clubs could have found a better time to suit them, they are the important ones who earned the right to playtoff for the league.
of course this problem could be halted if the leagues were decided on goal difference etc
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Hardluck to the girls out there. Cannot be easy arriving so late. Keep up the good work and best of luck for the rest of the matches.
At least the organisers of their tournament in Chile are accomodating players and teams due to the circumstances….unlike the Munster Branch and their thoughtless decision tonight regarding the Quins v UCC play off. Disgraceful.
Hardluck does not come into it, did you hear Gene’s comments after the game, only 3 players played to their potential, why does that happen? You cant blame that on the Ash cloud.
In relation to the Munster Branch they just want rid of the problem of a league playoff, on their terms it does not matter to them that the girls who earned the right to play in that fixture should all be accomodated with a suitable date, time and venue.
Im sure UCC and Harlequins could work a more appropriate time, venue and date out themselves rather than being dictated too!
People yapping on about stuff they only have one side of the story of.
Both clubs were given a deadline to fix a date but didn’t. Munster fixed it for them I suppose since they couldn’t. They the clubs went off and organised a date at short notice from what I gather.
What about us who aren’t from your beloved UCC or Quins. I fully intended on going to watch the playoff, its exciting hockey. How was I gonna know it was on wed night with ye only organising the night before.
Get a grip, there are more people involved in hockey than just players and they do a lot of organinsing so ye can play hockey at the level ye play at.
Right now I will not be attending the palyoff because of crazy comments like above.
Ye are not the only clubs in Munster!!! Get over yourselves or go join the Munster branch and make it better in your eyes and stop giving out.
Reply to Disgruntled…its not like womens hockey attract huge numbers of supporters.
I was at the Quins game last weekend to see them play to win back the title and at most there were 20 people there. Majority of these were the girls parents or Ucc and CI players waiting to learn their fate.
This time of the year the fixtures need to suit the players not the branch. Its the players that keep the game going, not the tiny crowds we attract.
Its a long weekend, most people have plans already made and Ucc are starting exams.
I agree thought that more notice of the fixture should have been given if they were going to play on wednesday night. It just seems madness to me that the branch control the time and place of this fixture when not one of them will even be there and they will probably only make about 100 euro from the gate
as usual its the players that suffer, this is not helping the game at all.
Disgruntled: People are being driven away from the Brach, what is the incentive to be involved? Its a joke really. Needs a serious freshen up with some young people who can represent the views of the players in the province. Question is will they be listened to? Or will their opinions count!! All we can ask is that things are fair on all, and dictating re game times and venue just doesnt work, surely clubs could have found a better time to suit them, they are the important ones who earned the right to playtoff for the league.
of course this problem could be halted if the leagues were decided on goal difference etc