Friday, April 4, 2008

Ireland 3 France 0


Ireland dominated the majority of their opening game with France at Belfield tonight, creating plenty of chances and taking three.


They dominated the game, getting into the circle first in the fourth minute. New captain Eimear Cregan bursting through but no one could get on the end of her pass. Louisa Moore got the first shot on target soon after minutes later but the French keeper saved well.

The Irish won five corners in the first half with O’Brien's straight hit from the fifth one taking a slight touch off a defender’s stick for a 1-0 half-time lead.

As the rain pelted down, Ireland continued to add the pressure, Nikki Symmons' drag flick well saved, early in the second half.

The home side continued to create chances and got a deserved second in the 58th minute when some magic by Speers teed up Louise Moore for her first Irish international goal with a bullet shot. Cregan added the third for a comprehensive win.

Commenting after the match coach Gene Muller said “I was really happy with our performance tonight, we created a number of good chances but we were not as clinical in our finish as we could be, but that’s something we are continuing to work on. The French were gritty tonight so this has been a good test for us.”

Ireland: Goode; Sargent; Cregan; Clarke; McCay; McDonough; O’Halloran; O’Brien; Moore; Symmons; Parkhill
Subs: Healy; Stewart; McKeever; McKean; Speers; Moffett; Jacob

No comments: