Ireland goalkeeper Lizzy Murphy. Photo: Ben McShane/Sportsfile
A heartening performance against the world’s best women’s team has given Ireland women plenty of optimism heading into today’s must-win encounter against France to keep their EuroHockey Championships bid alive.
Ireland lost 2-0 to the Netherlands in Monchengladbach on Saturday in a match where goalkeeper Lizzy Murphy admitted “all 18 girls put [their] bodies on the line and they absolutely killed it out there.”
Murphy, the 25-year-old Loreto stopper, was the standout player against the Dutch after a procession of fine saves from constant Oranje circle penetration. After four successive defeats since the 2018 World Cup final, this was the closest an Irish team has got to threatening a result against the Dutch.
Murphy said: “We were such a unit and it just felt we were so connected on the pitch. Everybody knew what they had to do and we knew going up against the world No 1 was going to be some defensive battle.”
Ireland now face world No 19 France, a team eight places below them in the rankings. The French headed into the Euros having won 12 of their previous matches since the Paris Olympics, but lost their opening game against hosts Germany 4-1.
Having leaked only two goals against the Dutch, a healthy win against France could now prove pivotal in Ireland’s final pool game against Germany on Wednesday.
“We go in now in a strong position against France which is just class,” said Murphy.
“In the Europeans, we’ve been on the wrong end of goal difference a few too many times and anything can happen at a European A division.”
Ireland head into the French encounter having won all seven previous matches since 2012, with a combined 47 goals.
Ireland captain Sarah Hawkshaw said: “We want to get more out of opportunities on the ball, be more patient, build in attack and grow into the game a little bit more.”