HOCKEY: Ireland 1-0 Italy

Ireland played Italy tonight in the first of their 3 test series at Mossley Hockey Club a game in which Loreto's Hayley Mulcahy gained her first cap.

The game was scrappy in the first half with little goal mouth action except for 2pcs to Italy which Davis in the Irish goal dealt with.

Ireland dominated the 2nd half scoring from their first PC with Shirley McCay's initial shot saved and Dillon rebound was touched over the line by Daly in the 45m to end the 3rd quarter with the slender lead.

In the final quarter Ireland had to withstand some robust Italian challenges and were awarded a further PC in the 53m which was mis-trapped but the resulting dangerous Italian counter came to nothing.

Irish coach Smith said after the game "Great to be back with the team after the World League 2 success. I thought that we were a bit slow out of the blocks in the first half but started to put together some good passages over the 3rd and 4th quarter. Plenty of improvement will be needed to progress on Saturday because Italy are a quality team and that will take the game to us"

Match 2 Ireland v Italy Saturday 18 April 14.00 Ulster University, Jordanstown Match 3 Ireland v Italy Sunday 19 April 14.00 Ulster University, Jordanstown , Ireland Stella Davis (GK), Michelle Harvey, Cliodhna Sargent, Emma Smyth, Chloe Brown, Shirley McCay, Megan Frazer, Naomi Carroll, Hayley Mulcahy, Ayeisha McFerran (C), Lizzie Colvin, Nicola Daly, Hannah Matthews, Deirdre Duke, Kate Dillon, Ali Meeke, Yvonne O Byrne, Emily Beatty

Italy
Natalia Leonoir, Celina Traverso, Marta De Guiro, Constanza Aguirre, Valentina Braconi, Macarena Ronsisvalli, Eugenia Garaffo, Dalila Mirabella, Martina Chirico (GK), Giulia Galligani, Elisabetta Pacella, Maria Mercedes Socino, Martina Lecchini, Chiara Tiddi, Aldana Lovagnini, Agata Wybieralska, Giuliana Ruggieri, Marcela Casale.