Ireland O50s v New Zealand  - For the 3^rd /4^th  play off

Ireland O50s played New Zealand in the bronze medal playoff in the 2014 masters World Cup in Rotterdam . 
New Zealand started much better than Ireland and very quickly were awarded a corner this was well cleared by Rochie. 

This spured Ireland to attack through a typical Claire bell right wing run. Claire turned along the back line and placed a perfect ball on the flick spot for Marion to slot home.  This lead didn't last long and New Zealand scored at the left post from a direct stroke at their next corner. 1-1 at half time. Ben Epstein used half time to settle his team and the second half was  different ball game. From the start of the second half Ireland looked a different team.  A quick aerial from Jane Salter put Kathy Walsh through on goal where she slotted ball home.

Ireland's third goal  came after an intricate passing move when jpnners drew the keeper and slipped it to Claire bell to score.
Ireland were now passing the ball with ease and more goals looked likely. A right side attack found Dymphna hill in space outside the circle and she quickly rounded the keeper and scored.
The fifth goal was scored by Kathy Walsh after a left sided individual run. The sixth  and final Goal of the game came from well worked corner Maggie Hunter slipped the ball back to Jane Salter to score at the left post. Final score 6-1 and Ireland claim the bronze medal the highest finish in masters hockey for an Irish team.

Ireland 50s v Holland World Cup – Rotterdam 2014

Ireland started the match off as the stronger team but in the 5^th minute Holland had a break away and goal keeper Sinead Guilifoyle was forced to make a great save at the top of the circle. In the 10^th minute Ireland threaten the Dutch circle via Dymphna Hill coming down the right side and passing across to Cathy Walsh. There was a super steal from a Dutch defender by Claire Bell and she carried the ball into the circle.

Maggie Hunter and Jane Salter worked very hard in defense to deny Holland the chance of attacking back. A great run by Marian O’Brien with a pass to Joan Dobson resulted in Ireland’s first goal as Dobson found the back of the net on 16 minutes. A series of attacks by Ireland loaded pressure on the Dutch defense as Ireland enjoyed the lion’s share of possession throughout the first half.

Three minutes into the second half  Ireland are awarded a corner which captain Maggie Hunter buries into the goal with obvious euphoria.

With 11 minutes gone, Dymphna Hill takes a quick free hit, fed the ball to Cathy Walsh who slips the ball into the bottom right hand corner to make it 3-0.

Holland make a break away attack which results in Guilfoyle being forced to save an on line scramble but Holland are awarded a penalty stroke which is slotted home by the Dutch.

Ireland responded with great pressure in the Dutch circle which was rewarded by a penalty corner but even with 2 broken line runners being sent to half way line consecutively, Ireland still failed to score from this opportunity. 

In an attack by Holland, an online skirmish ensued and the Dutch were awarded a stroke. This was slotted into goals which finished the game with the score line of 3-1 to Ireland.

Ireland over 50s v Australia Game 4

Australia started strong in the game and pegged Ireland in their own half for the first 10 minutes, although creating very few opportunities. The first shot from the Australians going wide on 10 minutes. In this period, the Australians used a lot of aerial balls to secure possession. The first Irish attack saw Dee Wallace push through and play the ball towards goal, but Cathy Walsh just missed the touch at the right post.

This settled the Irish forwards and a few attacks were now being formed through Kathy Shaw and Dymphna Hill.

Australia scored an easy tap in after an innocuous ball skids past Helen Roche in goal and trickles across the goal line.

Attack after attack breaks down at the forward line due to the energy sapping heat and the toll of the 4^tth game in as many days . Short corners were awarded to both teams but defense dealt with them well and the score remained 1-0 at half time.

The Irish team regrouped at half time and started the second half as they finished the first and gained in confidence in each attack and had now become very steady in defense.

On 8 minutes, Marian O”Brien and Joanne O’Grady on the baseline crosses to Dee Wallace in front of goal , who is obviously stick tackled and a stroke is awarded without hesitation by the umpire. A query from the Australians and the second umpire formed doubt in the decision and it was overturned which robbed Ireland of their certain goal and a chance to rectify it.

Ireland won a further penalty corner which wasn’t converted. The winning goal came from a defensive mistake on 21 minutes into the second half and the Australian forward gave Roche no chance by placing a good strike into the goals.

Further attempts by the Irish forwards came to no avail and the final whistle blew with Australia winning 2-1.

Masters Ladies O50s

Ireland v New Zealand  (day 6)

Six games in six days was a tough draw for the Irish O50's and they looked fresher than their opposition (who had a rest day) during the warm up which was now becoming a spectators sport with Ben Epstein orchestrating a  dynamic warm up routine. Ireland needed a win and as many goals as possible to keep their goal difference high as the final games have yet to be played.

A fine performance from a hard working team got the deserved win with a 2-0 score to leave Ireland the team to chase.

In the first half Ireland created many attacks from Dee Wallace, Kathy Walsh and Kathy Shaw who were well supported by the midfield trio of Joanne O'Grady, Joan Dobson and Dymphna Hill. The New Zealand defence kept them at bay until the 21st minute when the first corner was converted after the first shot rebounded to Joan Dobson to slot home.

On the stroke of half time, Maggie Hunter scored from a penalty corner strike but was denied the goal by the umpire who claimed not to see the deflection by the New Zealand player.

The second half continued in much the same as the first with Ireland making all the play and the y should have scored more than the one goal which was well taken after a lovely interchange of play by Dymphna Hill and Kathy Shaw resulting in a cracking finish by Kathy Shaw.

Ireland now must wait for the final placings from  the results Australia v USA and Wales v New Zealand games.