Heartbreak for Ireland women

HOCKEY

IRELAND’S women crashed out of contention for automatic World Cup qualification as they lost 3-0 to the home team at the World League event in Johannesburg.

With a place in London next year at stake, two edgy teams took to the field at WITS but South African nerves were settled by Lisa-Marie Deetlefs opening goal.

The Green Army were handed a gilt-edged chance to pull level from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time only for Roisin Upton to find the post.

South Africa then grabbed a second on the break and then a third after goalkeeper Ayesha McFerran was withdrawn in a final throw of the dice.

The Irish men hope to avoid a similar fate today as they meet France in the play-offs for fifth place at the tournament.

Ireland – A McFerran, H Matthews, E Tice, S McCay, Z Wilson, N Daly, G Pinder, C Watkins, K Mullan, A O’Flanagan, D Duke. Subs: N Evans, R Upton, E Colvin, Y O’Byrne, E Beatty, S Loughran.

CYCLING

XENO YOUNG won Ireland’s second silver medal at the UEC Junior and U-23 Track European Championships in Portugal last night, finishing behind Russia’s Ivan Smirnov in the gold medal final of the men’s junior individual pursuit.

Young’s 3:19.063 was the second-fastest time in the individual pursuit qualifying rounds, guaranteeing the County Down man a European medal, and a chance to ride for gold.

“I gave it everything. I knew going into it that if I raced my usual pace he would be faster, so I just went for it. I figured that if I blew up, I blew up, and it would be worth giving it a go,” said Young.

ATHLETICS

Irish sprinting was on a high last night after teenagers Gina Akpe-Moses and Ciara Neville made it through to the European U-20 100m final in Grosseto, Italy, the first time since 1979 that two Irish athletes accomplished such a feat.

Akpe-Moses was the faster of the two, the Louth sprinter finishing second in her semi-final in 11.56 to take an automatic qualification spot, while Neville had an anxious wait after finishing third in 11.79, which put her through on time. Their final takes place at 4:20pm Irish time today.

Heptathlon pair Elizabeth Morland and Kate O’Connor had a good first day of competition, with Morland seventh and O’Connor 10th overnight after four of seven events.