HOCKEY/ European Championships/ Ireland 4; France 2: A dazzling eight-minute spell in the second half of their play-off against France yesterday, during which they scored, remarkably, four goals, means Ireland are now just one win away from matching their best ever finish at a European finals - they play Ukraine today in the fifth place play-off.
A dismal first-half display, that saw Ireland concede two goals in the first 17 minutes and fail to get into their opponent's circle until the 20th, was followed by a dramatic second-half transformation when the team came alive and played the best attacking hockey they have produced in some time.
After falling behind as early as the fifth minute, when sweeper Peggy Bergere's tame shot from a short corner found its way home, Ireland, lifeless and devoid of ideas, failed to respond. It could have been worse, though - before Bergere converted a stroke in the 17th minute, awarded after Perrine Bretigny's goal bound shot was stopped by a foot, France had another effort cleared off the line.
And if it hadn't been for the increasingly steadying influence of Ciara O'Brien, like Karen Bateman winning her 50th yesterday, France's route to goal would have been smoother still.
All Ireland could offer at the other end was a single short corner, Jill Orbinson's shot saved by Mario Rheby, with poor passing and their failure to close down the French leaving them chasing shadows for much of the first half.
What was said to you at half-time? "I couldn't repeat it," smiled Jenny Burke when asked to account for the turnaround. And it was Burke who set the tone soon after the break when she burst through from midfield, beating two defenders, only to be denied by the on-rushing Rheby.
Her team-mates responded to her example and finally began to play with some passion, notably Orbinson, Eimear Cregan and Jenny McDonough, their reward coming in the 47th minute when Burke turned home the rebound from an Orbinson strike at the end of a smartly worked corner.
The game had barely restarted when Burke broke again, Lynsey McVicker superbly converting from the left after Rheby made the initial save.
Three minutes later, Bateman, who like Burke came out of retirement for this tournament, made it 3-2 with a reverse stick shot from just inside the circle and, after France had a player yellow-carded for pulling down McVicker as she broke through, Burke completed the scoring.
It was a goal of some class too, Burke cutting in from the right wing and deftly lifting the ball over the advancing Rheby.
"That made it all worthwhile," said Burke of her decision to return to the squad at Riet Kuper's request. "We knew at half-time that we could play so much better, that we needed to put them under way more pressure because they had so much time on the ball they could just pick out their passes. After that first goal we thought 'right, we can do it now', and we did."
"I didn't bring her back for nothing," said Kuper of her decision to ask Burke to postpone her retirement. "You saw today why we needed her.
"Whatever happens against Ukraine I am happy, a top-six placing is even better than the target we set coming here.
"It took us half the game to get it right today, there was too much tension in the first half, but I am pleased that we finally played the hockey we are capable of playing."
IRELAND: A Platt, L Caulfield, D Sixsmith, C O'Brien, K Maybin, E Cregan, J Orbinson, R Kohler (capt), K Bateman, J Burke, L McVicker. Subs used: N King, J McDonough, F Connery, C McKean, B McKeever.
EUROPEAN NATIONS CUP (at Barcelona) - Women - Fifth-eighth place play-offs: Ireland 4 (J Burke 2, L McVicker, K Bateman), France 2 (P Bergere 2); Ukraine 3, Scotland 2. Today - Women - Fifth/sixth play-off: Ireland v Ukraine, 3.30. Men - Ninth/10th play-off: Ireland v Italy, 10.30.
