AT THE ESTADIO Nacional, Ireland Women closed out Group B at the 2026 Hockey World Cup qualifier event in Chile with a commanding win, but were made to toil in the Santiago heat early on by a young Canadian side.
The Green Machine displayed all the qualities in the opening moments, which made them the strongest side throughout Group B. There was good, sharp passing, especially around the back, and strong pressing high up the pitch.
Canada, however, struck the first blow in the 13th minute with an Anna Mollenhauer goal from a very well-worked penalty corner routine that gave the side immense satisfaction.
It was an error from Caoimhe Perdue, though, at the back, from an errant aerial, which initially allowed the Canadian front line to win the set piece on the break.
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Ireland needed to make something happen, and in the second quarter, Sarah Torrans decided she would be the one to do so first with a lightning run on a counter-attack to find Niamh Carey, which brought goalkeeper Marcia LaPlante quickly into action.
Not long after, Torrans then dived heroically to deflect a Niamh Carey backhand cross into the goal to end Canadian dominance in the game. Caoimhe Perdue then gave Ireland their second before half-time with a strong dragflick into the bottom left corner to beat LaPlante.
Torrans scored again in the 36th minute from another diving deflection after some exceptional counter-attacking play. Jessica McMaster then almost immediately found a goal with a similar effort to Torrans’s first when she deflected in another sharp Niamh Carey cross.
High temperatures brought in special heat protocols, meaning a longer break between the third and fourth quarters. However, Ireland probably would have wanted to continue on the field given their fluency in attack.
The final quarter looked to end goalless until Amy Handcock scored her first goal at senior level with a brilliant dragflick to the bottom right corner in a penalty corner with just seconds left.
After finishing in the top spot in Group B, the Green Machine can now look forward to their semi-final on Saturday at 11.15pm (Irish Time) when they will face the second-placed side from Group A.
Japan, who Ireland beat 2-1, will go through as the second-placed team in Group B. But Ireland will now either face Australia or Chile, depending on how Group A finishes up later today.
A win in Saturday’s semi-final match will send this Irish side to the 2026 Hockey World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands this coming August.
Player of the Match: Sarah Torrans
IRELAND: H Micklem (GK); S McAuley, N Carey, S Hawkshaw (capt), K Mullan, H McLoughlin, E Curran, C Perdue, C Beggs, E Kealy, M Jennings. Rolling subs: M Carey, S Torrans, C Hamill, A Handcock, J McMaster, K Larmour.
CANADA: M LaPlante (GK); N Poulakis, B McCusker, A Mollenhauer, E Wong (capt), C Walton, K Girgis, L Hogg, D Husar, K Gibb, L Delmotte. Rolling subs: T Rae, J Ross, J Faiczak, R Carvalho, M Stelling, N Goddard-Despot
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Ireland down Canada and take top spot in Group B
2026 Hockey World Cup qualifier:
Ireland 5
Canada 1
AT THE ESTADIO Nacional, Ireland Women closed out Group B at the 2026 Hockey World Cup qualifier event in Chile with a commanding win, but were made to toil in the Santiago heat early on by a young Canadian side.
The Green Machine displayed all the qualities in the opening moments, which made them the strongest side throughout Group B. There was good, sharp passing, especially around the back, and strong pressing high up the pitch.
Canada, however, struck the first blow in the 13th minute with an Anna Mollenhauer goal from a very well-worked penalty corner routine that gave the side immense satisfaction.
It was an error from Caoimhe Perdue, though, at the back, from an errant aerial, which initially allowed the Canadian front line to win the set piece on the break.
Ireland needed to make something happen, and in the second quarter, Sarah Torrans decided she would be the one to do so first with a lightning run on a counter-attack to find Niamh Carey, which brought goalkeeper Marcia LaPlante quickly into action.
Not long after, Torrans then dived heroically to deflect a Niamh Carey backhand cross into the goal to end Canadian dominance in the game. Caoimhe Perdue then gave Ireland their second before half-time with a strong dragflick into the bottom left corner to beat LaPlante.
Torrans scored again in the 36th minute from another diving deflection after some exceptional counter-attacking play. Jessica McMaster then almost immediately found a goal with a similar effort to Torrans’s first when she deflected in another sharp Niamh Carey cross.
High temperatures brought in special heat protocols, meaning a longer break between the third and fourth quarters. However, Ireland probably would have wanted to continue on the field given their fluency in attack.
The final quarter looked to end goalless until Amy Handcock scored her first goal at senior level with a brilliant dragflick to the bottom right corner in a penalty corner with just seconds left.
After finishing in the top spot in Group B, the Green Machine can now look forward to their semi-final on Saturday at 11.15pm (Irish Time) when they will face the second-placed side from Group A.
Japan, who Ireland beat 2-1, will go through as the second-placed team in Group B. But Ireland will now either face Australia or Chile, depending on how Group A finishes up later today.
A win in Saturday’s semi-final match will send this Irish side to the 2026 Hockey World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands this coming August.
Player of the Match: Sarah Torrans
IRELAND: H Micklem (GK); S McAuley, N Carey, S Hawkshaw (capt), K Mullan, H McLoughlin, E Curran, C Perdue, C Beggs, E Kealy, M Jennings. Rolling subs: M Carey, S Torrans, C Hamill, A Handcock, J McMaster, K Larmour.
CANADA: M LaPlante (GK); N Poulakis, B McCusker, A Mollenhauer, E Wong (capt), C Walton, K Girgis, L Hogg, D Husar, K Gibb, L Delmotte. Rolling subs: T Rae, J Ross, J Faiczak, R Carvalho, M Stelling, N Goddard-Despot
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Boost Canada Group B Hockey Ireland