Heartbreak for Ireland as women’s hockey team miss out on Olympic spot after loss to Great Britain

Goals either side of half time from Sarah Jones and Katie Robertson, GB’s Welsh and Scottish internationals respectively, left Ireland sinking to their knees at the final hooter in a game Great Britain dominated.

Despite conceding one goal in normal time in this tournament, Sean Dancer’s side needed circle threats but GB goalkeeper Sabbie Heesh was kept quiet all game. A brace of penalty corners finally saw Hannah McLoughlin make inroads in the dying seconds. It all proved too late. The game was over and Irish players sank to their knees.

Great Britain, and as an England side, had held a formidable record over Ireland, with 2004 Olympic qualification wins and at the last Tokyo Olympics. Defeat here now leaves question marks over funding for the women’s programme, whether Dancer, their Australian coach, will stay on in the role and the futures of several key Irish stars.

Great Britain had started brightly, with ball retention aplenty and outletting to the right flank, which offered a brace of early opportunities. Ayeisha McFerran twice had to save with her pads from close-range flicks.

Midway through the opening quarter, amid more mounting GB pressure, McFerran again made another telling double save.

Laura Unsworth first fed Izzy Petter who then directed into the Irish stopper’s pads before Robertson nearly scored her first GB goal with a push across goal. McFerran cleared each time but a third rebound saw an Irish stick clear off the line.

Ireland finished the stronger after turning over Great Britain’s penchant for running with the ball into the opposition half. Twice Ireland made circle penetration but couldn’t force Heesh into any notable saves.

The game opened up in the second quarter, quick ball finding its way into the GB circle but Deirdre Duke miscued her forehand wide.

A baseline counter upfield led to a first penalty corner, which No.1 runner Sarah Torrans blocked before Welsh international Jones found a way across goal with a low forehand.

There were rare flurries up field from Sean Dancer’s side for the rest of a quarter GB dominated. A side so adept at the back in this tournament needed to find an attacking third spark to save their Paris hopes.

Duke limped off the field five minutes into the second half, while Ireland were gifting too much possession in the key midfield battle, with Heesh having an increasingly quiet game. McFerran, meanwhile, was also an onlooker until forced into a comfortable boot save.

Ireland were now making good use of the right flanks and won their first corner of this semi-final. Fed to Roisin Upton, Fiona Crackles was quick enough to deflect her dragflick.

At the start of the final quarter, Ireland twice lost possession in their half. A third wave of attacks saw Lily Owsley send a direct slap into the circle. After a pinball set of rebounds, Robertson squeezed a reverse chip into the net.

McFerran was taken off with six minutes left, but even with 11 outfield players and spending the rest of the match in the GB final third, Ireland couldn’t make the telling breakthrough until the final hit of the match. Total heartbreak for Ireland.