DREAM START FOR LENA TICE AS IRELAND CONQUER THE U.S.A.
LENA TICE and the women’s hockey team had the dream start to their World Cup campaign as they landed a famous win over USA in London.
Lethal Lena had to begin the day on the bench as Ireland ripped into USA and made the dream start
with two goals in the first quarter. USA would pull one back but the upset was sealed late in the third quarter on a historic day for Irish hockey.
The women’s team have not featured in a World Cup since 2002 when Tice was fresh out of nappies but there was no stage fright as Ireland, ranked 16th in the world, put the seventh placed side in their place.
Tice’s UCD club-mate Deirdre Duke and veteran Shirley McCay set Ireland on course to victory but the US halved the deficit through Margaux Paolino.
Duke grabbed the third goal as well to send Ireland to the top of the group thanks to a stalemate between England and India earlier in the day.
Duke almost notched a hat-trick when a superb pass from Tice into the circle set-up the attacker but her effort fizzed narrowly wide.
Next up for the Green Army is their clash with India tomorrow (Thursday). Speaking after the victory over USA, Ireland head coach was full of praise for his side.
‘USA are one of the best pressing teams in the world and they can put you on the back foot with their physicality.
‘But I thought we were magnificent and I’m incredibly proud of the group.
‘One of the most pleasing things was how we saw the game out and I thought we looked really composed, we stayed disciplined and structured, and we’re over the moon with that result’.