EuroHockey Championship: Ireland secure first win in Group B against Scotland

Sarah Torrens scored twice as Ireland cruised to victory against Scotland

Ireland kept alive their hopes of reaching the EuroHockey semi-finals with a comprehensive 5-0 win over Scotland in their second Pool match in Monchengladbach.

Ireland were beaten 3-0 by England in their opening group game but recovered in style to overcome Scotland.

Hannah McLoughlin, Ellen Curran, Niamh Carey and Sarah Torrans with two, were the goal scorers.

A win against Germany on Tuesday may be enough for them to reach the last four.

Much will depend on the result of Germany and England on Sunday which Ireland will await, but for now they can reflect on a ruthless performance, as they carved Scotland apart on Saturday evening.

Scotland had the first opportunity of the game when Sarah Jamieson's shot smacked the pad of Ayeisha McFerran and went wide.

Ireland then began to dominate possession and Scottish goalkeeper Amy Gibson was forced into a comfortable save from Roisin Upton's drag flick from a penalty corner.

The best chance of the opening quarter fell to Deirdre Duke, who took the pass from McLoughlin, avoided a Scottish challenge but then slid the ball wide of the post from close range.

It was a game that needed a goal, and it came three minutes into the second quarter. Sarah Hawkshaw's ball into the circle was beautifully controlled by McLoughlin, who then provided the composed finish, slipping the ball past the advancing Gibson.

Suddenly the confidence so lacking when they went behind to England in their opening game, came flowing back for Ireland.

Seventy-one seconds later Michelle Carey carried the ball along the baseline and her cross deflected off the stick of Gibson and into the path of Curran, who wasn't going to miss an empty net to shoot at.

The third Irish goal was built from the back and ended with a brilliant finish from Niamh Carey, who picked the bottom corner and hammered the ball past Gibson.

Ireland had other chances in the third quarter, but the fourth goal did arrive with six minutes left in the game.

After a scramble in the circle and a save from Gibson from Mullan's effort, the ball fell kindly for Torrans to score.

The same player was on hand to round off the scoring as she collected a pass from Duke and calmly slotted it into the net.

'It's not out of reach'

McLoughlin was thrilled that Ireland showed their true potential against Scotland after their defeat against England on Friday.

"There was a lot of disappointment after the England game. It wasn't how we wanted to start our tournament, but we were delighted to have another match so soon to have another go and we've proved to ourselves that we can turn things around.

"We are much happier with that performance," she told BBC Sport NI.

Although Ireland go into Tuesday's meeting in front of a sell-out crowd against Germany as the underdogs, McLoughlin is confident that they can spring a surprise to reach the semi-finals.

"We knew coming into this tournament that we would have to beat a team in the top ten in the world to make the top four and those are the expectations we have of ourselves.

"It's not out of our reach, it will be a tough game, but we are very, very excited."