Hockeyroos Set for Quarterfinal Clash with Ireland

Three goals in nine minutes either side of quarter time has set the foundation for a dominant 4-0 Hockeyroos win over outsiders Canada at the Hawke’s Bay Cup in Hastings.

The win has set up a quarter final showdown with Ireland on Thursday, with this match representing the first contest between the two nations since 2012, when the Australians earned a 3-0 win in Dublin.

Penalty corner strikes from defenders Georgie Morgan and Jodie Kenny inside the opening period were supplemented by a double from 18 year-old Grace Stewart, the first of which came shortly after the restart, her second coming late in the contest.

As in their opening two matches against Japan and Korea, the Australian women controlled play throughout, creating numerous opportunities but failing to convert many of the best chances.

Hockeyroos Head Coach Adam Commens admitted that the number of opportunities passed up by his side was frustrating.

He said, “It’s a little bit frustrating when you have the amount of possession and chances we had and you don’t score more. I know our players are better than what they’ve shown and I’m just imploring them to start to bring into practice in these games the sorts of things we’ve been training. I thought today we could have done that much better.

“Certainly, we see a lot better from our players on the training pitch. We just want to see those skills in the game.”

Commens wasn’t wholly unsatisfied, however, noting the team’s general play has been good and that the Hawke’s Bay Cup is a part of a larger plan to achieve success at Rio 2016.

He added, “We’re a team that has the ability to score a lot of goals. I think the way that we’re playing throughout the pitch is positive. We’re creating those chances. We just need to tidy up the end zone.

“On goal difference we finish second in our pool but that doesn’t really matter. We’re about trying to improve and peak at the right time in Rio and this tournament is part of that. 

“In an Olympic year that selection pressure is there and sometimes that pressure can contribute but the pressure’s going to be that much more at the Olympic Games.”

Earlier in the pool round, Australia recorded a 2-0 win over Korea, which followed a 1-1 draw with Japan.

WAIS scholarship athletes Kathryn Slattery and Ashleigh Nelson are both members of the Hockeyroos’ Hawke’s Bay Cup squad.

-HockeyAus