FIH Pro League: Australia 5-0 Ireland - Two defeats in two for Irish

Ireland have shipped 10 goals in their first two games after conceding five against the Netherlands

Ireland were beaten 5-0 by Australia in their second game in the FIH Pro League in India.

Ky Willott scored twice with Tom Craig, Jeremy Hayward and Nathan Ephraums getting the other goals for Australia in a dominant performance.

Ireland had their chances but failed to find the Australian net.

It was another difficult afternoon for the Irish, who are making their debut in the competition, after losing 5-1 to the Netherlands on Saturday.

"It's a good learning for us from this game. Our basics let us down at times," said Ireland head coach Mark Tumilty.

"You get punished at this level for the slightest errors and when chances come your way you have to be clinical and convert those chances."

The first quarter of the game was scoreless as Ireland looked comfortable defensively, but Australia showed the difference in class in their finishing with three goals in the second quarter.

The scoring began in the 17th minute after a ball into the Irish circle bounced up off a stick. Tom Craig reacted quickest, turning it out of mid air and past goalkeeper James Milliken.

Ireland, who have qualified for this summer's Olympic Games in Paris, were not overawed and forced the first penalty corner of the game but Shane O'Donoghue's shot was saved by Andrew Charter.

A couple of minutes later, from their first penalty corner, Jeremy Hayward dragged the ball into the corner of the goal.

Ireland's Tim Cross in action against Australia in the Pro League

Ireland's Tim Cross forced Charter into another save and O'Donoghue fired another penalty corner just wide of the post but as those chances went begging, Australia's Ky Willott finished off a superb team move to make it 3-0.

Once again, the third quarter was a pretty even affair in terms of possession but another moment of quality from the Australians saw them extend the lead.

Nathan Ephraums had time to take down an overhead in the circle and under no Irish pressure turned and fired the ball past Jamie Carr, who replaced Milliken.

Ireland come close to scoring

Ireland controlled possession in the final 15 minutes and Charter was called upon to save once again from an O'Donoghue penalty corner. When the ball broke to Sean Murray, his reverse stick effort was kicked aside by the goalkeeper.

Then Peter McKibbin's ball into the circle was turned towards goal by Conor Empey but once again the Australian stopper made an instinctive save.

However, it took just one incursion into the Ireland circle for Australia to add a fifth goal as Willott netted for the second time.

"We'll rotate the squad as we move through this phase in Bhunaneswar and in Rourkela and the five guys who didn't feature today will come back into consideration to start on Thursday against Spain," said Tumilty.