Action from France versus Ireland at the INSEP Hockey Challenge
Action from France versus Ireland at the INSEP Hockey Challenge
(Photo: FIH / Agence Panoramic)

Ireland have all but sealed overall victory in their second major tournament for the Summer, after a solid 2 – 0 win over France in their final match of the INSEP Hockey Challenge in Paris.

Barring an Argentinian goal-fest in their match against South Korea tomorrow, with 3 wins from 4 matches and a healthy goal difference, Ireland will secure top position on the table and, on present form – which includes first place in the recent Champions Challenge 2 in Lille - they will now be looking towards the prospect of Olympic qualification at the European Nations Championships in August.

The match was relatively even for most of the first half, with both sides creating scoring opportunities and a penalty corners. The Irish forwards had notched up a combined total of 11 goals from their first 3 games of the tournament against highly ranked opposition, and the French defenders had done well to keep them scoreless for such a long period, but in the last minute of the half, Ireland earned a penalty corner, which John Jermyn converted, to put them 1 – 0 up at the break.

The second half was a lacklustre affair, with neither side gaining a clear ascendency. However, 15 minutes into the half Ireland’s John Jackson found some space at the top of the circle, and when the ball spilled free from a circle penetration he was ready to pounce, sending it high into the net and putting the Irish further ahead. France continued to press for a goal, and had their chances later in the game, but they were unable to convert, and the match finished at 2 – 0 to Ireland.

France head coach Scott Goodheart said after the game that his team had not performed at the required level today. “We had too many players today who did not play well. We made poor decisions with the ball, and we were too passive in both defence and attack,” said Goodheart. “Even then, we had opportunities to score, but we simply did not put the ball in the goal when it was required,” he added.

France will play Australia in their final match for the tournament at 15h30 on Sunday.

Table after day 5
Ireland 9pts (+7)
Argentina 6pts (-2)
Australia 4pts (+1)
Korea 4pts (-1)
France 0pt (-6)

Fédération Française de Hockey media release