Irish pay for errors at the back

Hockey/ KT Cup: A calamitous seven-minute spell early in the second half, during which they conceded three goals, put paid to Ireland's hopes of taking something from their game against England at the KT Cup in Seoul.

As vice-captain Jenny Burke put it, after the 3-0 defeat, "a lapse in concentration cost us dearly".

What made the "lapse" all the more frustrating was that Ireland had been competing doggedly and holding their own until then, but after Cathy Gilliat-Smith opened the scoring five minutes into the second half all the hard work was undone when Jo Ellis and Gilliat-Smith again were allowed to end the game as a contest with two more goals in the next five minutes.

All three scores came from play, Ireland restricting their opponents to just one short corner in the 70 minutes, a fact that heartened Riet Kuper who, too often in the past, has seen her team's habit of cheaply conceding corners prove so costly.

It was from play, though, that the damage was done, the coach bemoaning "errors at the back" that led to Ireland "losing the game in seven minutes".

Also worrying for Kuper was the injury sustained by Jill Orbinson in the 14th minute, when she collided with an opponent. There were initial concerns that the Pegasus midfielder, who was taken to hospital, might have fractured an elbow, but it was hoped it was no more than a dislocation.

The form of Orbinson, blighted by injuries in the last couple of seasons, alongside fellow midfielders Caitriona Carey and Jenny Burke, has been a source of encouragement in Korea for Kuper, who now also has an array of defensive options, with Carey's return resulting in Linda Caulfield and Bridget McKeever being used at the back - Ciara O'Brien and Clare Parkhill completed the "back four" yesterday.

Still, though, goals are proving hard to come by, the team managing just two shots on goal in the game (to England's nine), winning one corner.

Captain Lynsey McVicker was unfortunate not to be awarded a stroke after being upended by the English goalkeeper when she was through on goal, but that was the closest Ireland came to scoring.

They will hope to prove more of an attacking threat against India today.

IRELAND: A Platt; L Caulfield, C O'Brien, B McKeever, C Parkhill, C Carey, J Orbinson, J Burke, J McDonough, E Cregan, L McVicker (capt). Subs: F Connery, S Beaney, D Casey, L O'Neill.

KT CUP (at Seoul, Korea) - Yesterday: Ireland 0, England 3 (C Gilliat-Smith 2, J Ellis); Korea 3, India 0; China 9, Malaysia 1. Tomorrow (local times): Ireland v India, 11.30. Wednesday: Ireland v Malaysia, 11.0. Thursday: play-offs for final placings.