GB's men beat Ireland after women lose to USA

Great Britain and Ireland will both take part in the men's hockey tournament at this summer's Olympic games

Great Britain's men beat Ireland for the second time in six days as they won 3-0 in the Pro League on Thursday evening.

Earlier on Thursday, GB's women lost to the USA while Ireland's women reached the semi-finals of the Nations Cup with victory over South Korea.

In the men's game, Ireland were 2-0 down by the end of the first quarter after failing to clear two penalty corners as Sam Ward and Phil Roper scored for the hosts.

Ward then slipped an effort past Jamie Carr to extend Great Britain's lead in the 22nd minute.

Ireland, who lost 5-1 to GB on Saturday, nearly pulled a goal back but Peter McKibbin's shot deflected off his captain Sean Murray's head.

The game was Ireland's last in the Pro League season and they enter next month's Olympics off the back of a bottom-place league finish.

"It was disappointing to not get a result in our last game," Ireland captain Murray told TNT Sports. "We'll definitely improve in a lot of areas and will definitely get better before Paris."

GB are currently sixth with 16 points from eight matches.

Their men's and women's teams return to action with games against Australia and India on Saturday and Sunday

GB women suffer 'poorest' defeat of season

Great Britain's women have won two and drawn two of their eight Pro League games this season

Great Britain captain Hollie Pearne-Webb said their defeat by the United States was their "poorest" Pro League performance this season.

GB opened the scoring in the first quarter when Katie Robertson deflected in a powerful effort from Lily Owsley.

But they were unable to build on their early advantage and the USA equalised before half-time as Megan Valzonis tapped home after a Sophia Gladieux flick into the middle.

The USA left it until the final quarter to take the lead when Ashley Sessa got a touch to a Meredith Sholder cross.

Sholder inflicted the final blow just four minutes later when she smashed a powerful hit past Amy Tennant's near post.

"This is definitely our poorest performance and we're disappointed by that," Pearne-Webb told TNT Sports. "But we've definitely been in darker places in previous Pro Leagues.

"We're lucky that we've got more matches to come and it's not an Olympic games. The positive is that it's a learning opportunity. We have to take some learnings from it otherwise it's a waste of time."

The USA, who have played all their 16 fixtures, will finish bottom of the Pro League with 14 losses and a draw, while GB still have eight games remaining.