Ireland reach World League semi-finals with 12-2 win over Trinidad and Tobago

Ireland 12 (S Dowds 2, M Watt 2, P Gleghorne 2, J Jackson, S O'Donoghue, C Harte, C Cargo, E Magee, A Sothern) Trinidad and Tobago 2 (K Browne 2)

Ireland powered through to the semi-finals of the World League round two with a 12-2 win over Trinidad and Tobago with nine different scorers on the mark in San Diego.

Stephen Dowds gave them a superb start, scoring from the game’s first attack and it was 2-0 when Paul Gleghorne picked out John Jackson in the circle to score.

They were, however, given a scare when Kwan Browne - on his 300th international appearance - scored twice in quick succession to peg the score back to 2-2 early in the second quarter.

But quickfire goals from Gleghorne and Mikey Watt gave Craig Fulton's side a 4-2 half-time lead and they cut loose after the big break to run out handsome winners.

Shane O’Donoghue made it 5-2 from a corner switch while Conor Harte and Dowds also scored from set pieces amid a run of five goals in nine minutes as Trinidad folded, a recurring theme in this tournament.

Watt's second stretched the lead to 8-2 at the end of the third quarter before Chris Cargo, Gleghorne, Eugene Magee and Alan Sothern piled on four more goals in the closing stages.

The result means Ireland will play again on Saturday in the final four against either Italy or Canada for a place in the tournament’s final but, more importantly, for a place at World League round three where the Olympic qualifying berths will be doled out.

That tie will take place at 9pm (Irish time) in San Diego.

IRELAND: D Harte, J Jackson, R Gormley, M Watt, C Cargo, S Dowds, K Shimmins, M Darling, P Gleghorne, C Harte, S O'Donoghue. Subs: J Bell, A Sothern, E Magee, P Caruth, B McCandless, D Carlisle.