Misfiring Ireland punished by France

RTÉ News​

a day ago

Ireland paid for their profligacy in front of goal at the EuroHockey Championships in Germany, as France recorded a 1-0 victory over Gareth Grundie's charges, and their hopes of progressing to a first continental semi-final hang by the most frayed of threads.
Ireland opened Pool A in Monchengladbach with a 2-0 defeat to the Netherlands on Saturday. However, the Dutch top the global standings, and a win in that encounter was always a remote prospect.
An Ireland side ranked 11th in the world faced 19th-ranked France in North Rhine-Westphalia on Monday afternoon as favourites in a de facto must-win game before playing the hosts in their pool finale.
Ireland had their chances, more than enough to win the game, but no goals from 13 penalty corners is a damning statistic that will weigh heavily on the squad for the remainder of the tournament.
Luck also deserted Gareth Grundie's side, and they hit the post twice in an opening quarter that saw them earn seven penalty corners.
Katie Mullan was the first Ireland player to find the woodwork after an excellent pass from Emily Kealy, with her follow up shot just over the bar, and Christina Hamill was denied by the post from a penalty corner.
France then won a penalty corner of their own – their only chance of the first quarter– but Ireland did well to deny them and camped themselves on the edge of the French circle for the final minutes of the first quarter without finding a way to break the deadlock.
Ireland's dominance continued into the second quarter, but a penalty corner for France gave them the first chance of the period. Despite finding the net, Ireland referred, and the goal was overturned as the first shot was above the backboard.
Ireland made an excellent start to the second half, winning a penalty corner inside the first minute. Hannah McLoughlin's shot forced a good save from France goalkeeper Lucie Ehrmann.
France have upset Ireland 1-0 in Pool A at the EuroHockey Championship, with Mathilde Duffrene scoring the only goal of the game pic.twitter.com/MipDPfypdf
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 11, 2025
More wasted penalty corners followed for Ireland, and they were punished in the final quarter when Mathilde Duffrene showed her opponents just how to convert the set-piece, with an adroitly struck dragflick.
Chasing the game, Ireland substituted goalkeeper Elizabeth Murphy with five minutes remaining in an effort to pull a goal back, but the advantage of an extra outfield player was negated when Katie Mullan was shown a yellow card as she attempted to win the ball on the edge of the France circle.
A penalty corner in the final minute for France gave them a chance to double their lead, but Sarah McAuley denied them on the goal line.
Ireland will face hosts Germany in their final pool game on Wednesday at 7pm Irish time. A win in that game and a heavy defeat for Germany against the Netherlands later today could still see Grundie's side reach the knockouts.
'We have to take a hard look at ourselves in attack' - Katie Mullan cites Ireland's lack of clinical finishing as key in their 1-0 loss to France at the EuroHockey Championship pic.twitter.com/T0HwBgS5lq
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 11, 2025