Ireland go down heavily to Belgium

Ireland 3 Belgium 6: Ireland missed out on their first shot at qualifying for the World Cup in Rotterdam as Belgium were too strong for Andrew Meredith's side despite a much improved performance.

Their World League quarter-final was effectively a qualifier for the 2014 World Cup but the Irish were pegged back as the Belgians built a 2-0 lead in the opening ten minutes.

Ireland fought back on a couple of occasions but never regained parity as the world number nine side swept home with a flurry of second half goals. Having soaked up a lot of first half pressure, Chris Cargo’s goal late in the 33rd minute had Ireland in with a big shout at 2-1 down at the break after Loick Luypaert and Thomas Briels had netted early on.

Coach Andrew Meredith was infuriated by the third Belgian goal, an own goal created by Luypaert's left wing cross four minutes into the second half.

Ireland countered quickly, though, with John Jackson’s switch-flick making it 3-2. But the midfield found themselves under immense pressure from a supremely well-organised pincer-like movement up front.

It led to a pair of Cedric Dockier goals and a superb Tom Boon effort, intricately related to the side's excellent press, to take the game away from Ireland and saw Belgium land a place at the 2014 World Cup into the bargain.

Spain’s 1-0 loss to New Zealand means they are Ireland’s next opponent in a critical game in the fifth to eighth place playoff on Friday (11.30) where a win would still give Ireland a great chance of reaching the World Cup.

Ireland: D Harte, J Jackson, R Gormley, C Cargo, A Sothern, P Caruth, A McConnell, T Cockram, P Maguire, P Gleghorne, C Harte Subs: J Bell, M Watt, K Good, J Bruton, S Loughrey, S O'Donoghue.

Belgium: V Vanasch, A van Doren, J Dekeyser, J-J Dohmen, S Dockier, E Stockbroekx, F Denayer, S Gougnard, L Luypaert, T Boon, E van Strydonck Subs: X Reckinger, F van Aubel, C Charlier, T Briels, J Truyens, T Cosyns.

World League Round Three, quarter-finals: Ireland 3 (C Cargo, J Jackson, P Gleghorne) Belgium 6 (S Dockier 2, L Luypaert, own goal , T Boon, T Briels); Spain 0 New Zealand 1