Ireland suffer second single-goal loss to Belgium

Ireland were beaten 2-1 by Belgium for the second time in four days in the Pro League in Dublin.

In similar circumstances to the first game between the sides on Wednesday, the Belgians took what looked like an unassailable 2-0 lead through goals from Charlotte Englebert and Aix Gerniers.

Once again, Ireland began playing their best hockey when facing a two-goal deficit, pulling a goal back through Sarah Torrans but ran out of time to find an equaliser.

Ireland will conclude their first four-game block in hockey’s top tier against England on Sunday.

"We were disappointed with the start of our game, same as the last time, we were just too slow,” said Irish captain Sarah Hawkshaw.

"I think it's a mix of that, it's a mix of the speed of how we're moving the ball, second guessing once we get the ball, and when they come out with a lot of pressure and you doubt your decision, it forces errors.

"That fed into it. You could feel it amongst the group and we needed to change that quickly."

Despite her frustration over the slow start, Hawkshaw again took encouragement from Ireland's response to adversity.

"So disappointed with the start, but how we came out in the second half and changed momentum and got a lot more off-ball intensity, I think really drives this team.

"When we were able to lift that up and get more pressure on them, we almost had a better awareness of where people were and were able to move the ball on quicker.

"The result was a goal and a creation of a couple of other opportunities."

Belgium were relentless in the first half putting Ireland under constant pressure.

The home side didn’t help themselves with some ill-disciplined defending outside of their circle and conceded a number of penalty corners from which Belgium struck twice.

The opening goal came after Aoife Glennon, making her Irish debut, made an excellent save from the first effort but the ball went straight to Charlotte Englebert who converted the rebound.

The second was scored by Alix Gerniers, who deflected the ball past Glennon from close range.

Ireland started the second half with more conviction and from their first penalty corner Lucy Mulcahy’s drag shot went just wide.

To the delight of the home support, Ireland conjured up a goal with five minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Hawkshaw did well to create space for the shot at the edge of the circle and, although she did not get the accuracy or power in her effort, it bounced awkwardly off a Belgian stick and Sarah Torrans was in the right place to put the ball into the roof of the net.

There would be no storming finish for Ireland and while, once again, they will take positives from the performance against one of the top sides in the world, they will know that but for a poor start they could have gotten something from the game.

"If anything, what we take forward is that we have to take the ball and we have to move it, and we have to back our decision-making and go with real intent," continued Hawkshaw.

"We have to take that into the game against England.

"I think the frustration sits because I really believe this team can take on these players, they can take on these teams."