Double Irish joy in World League play-offs

JOHANNESBURG: Ireland won men’s and women’s play-offs Saturday during the penultimate day of the Hockey World League tournament on a Johannesburg campus.

The men overcame New Zealand 1-0 on the astro turf pitch at the University of the Witwatersrand to finish fifth of 10 nations at the 16-day event.

Alan Sothern, a fierce competitor who gave a team-mate a tongue lashing over a poor pass during an earlier match, scored the winner four minutes into the final quarter.

Ireland scored twice in as many minutes from penalty corners in a come-from-behind 2-1 win over India to end seventh in the women’s tournament.

Gurjit Kaur gave the Indians a first-quarter lead, also from a penalty corner, captain Kathryn Mullan levelled on 47 minutes and Lizzie Colvin struck the winning goal. Defeat completed a miserable couple of weeks for India, who won just one of six matches, lost four, scored only four goals, and twice conceded four.

Goals by Victor Charlet from a penalty corner and Hugo Genestet from a penalty stroke helped France to a 3-0 victory over Egypt and seventh place among the men.

Host nation South Africa survived a late onslaught from Japan to win 2-1 and come fifth in the women’s tournament.

Lilian du Plessis and Tarryn Glasby gave the home team a twogoal half-time lead that was reduced when Yuri Nagai scored five minutes into the third quarter. - AFP