Hier en fin d’après-midi les françaises ont rencontré à Dublin l’équipe d’Irlande pour leur avant-dernier match de préparation avant Kazan et le tournoi de qualification pré-olympique. Diminuée par des blessures, l’équipe de France féminine s’est inclinée sur un score de 3 buts à 0. La vaillance et la ténacité de Marion Rhéby capitaine courage de cette jeune sélection, et gardienne des buts français n’auront pas suffit. Le temps des victoires viendra, à Kazan n’en doutons pas !
Voici le compte rendu Irlandais
Ireland 3 – 0 France, Women’s Hockey
4 April 2008
Ireland 3 (Ciara O’Brien 21st, Louisa Moore 58th; Eimear Cregan 66th)
France 0
Ireland played France tonight as part of a two match series as they continue in their preparation for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Ireland dominated the majority of the game and despite winning three nil they will no doubt be disappointed not to convert more of the chances they created.
Ireland controlled the play from the start, their first circle entry coming in the forth minute by captain Cregan who passed the ball through the circle but there was no one at home to pick up. Irelands Louisa Moore got the first shot on goal only three minutes later but the French keeper was in position to make her first save of the night.
The Irish applied plenty of pressure to the French defence but the finishing touch continued to evade the Irish girls. Ireland won a total of five penalty corners in the first half and showed of some creative set moves and although coming close on a couple of occasions they couldn’t find a way into the back of the French net until the last set piece when O’Brien stepped up for the direct strike which skimmed off a defender’s stick to give Ireland a one nil edge going into half time.
As sheets of rain pelted down on the two teams they continued to battle it out under the National Hockey Stadium Lights. Ireland were first off the mark again in the fifth minute when they won their sixth penalty corner of the night a drag flick by Symmons was saved high to the left side of the goalie.
Ireland continued to create some excellent chances leaving them with opportunities in front of the French goal but the clinical finish just left Ireland short until the 58th minute when an excellent move by Speers saw her weave some magic through midfield to lay Moore up for a strike at the top of the circle which bulleted high and hard into the back of the net for a two nil Irish lead.
Irelands third and final goal of the night came through the third phase of a broken down penalty corner and Cregan was on hand to put the final touch to close out the match in Irelands favour.
Commenting after the match Muller was happy with how his team performed 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 thats something we are continuing to work on. The French were gritty tonight so this has been a good test for us.
Ireland will play France again on Sunday 6th April at 11.00am.
UCD
Starting XI: Goode; Sargent; Cregan; Clarke; McCay; McDonough; Ohalloran; OBrien; Moore; Symmons; Parkhill
Reserves: Healy; Stewart; McKeever; McKean; Speers; Moffett; Jacob
