Ireland beat South Korea to reach Nations Cup semi-finals

Ireland’s Hannah McLoughlin was on the scoresheet against South Korea in the Nations Cup

Ireland produced an excellent performance to reach the semi-finals of the Nations Cup with a comfortable 4-0 win over South Korea in Terrassa.

Hannah McLoughlin, Sarah Hawkshaw, Katie Mullan and Roisin Upton scored the goals that helped set up a last-four match with New Zealand on Saturday.

Hosts Spain topped Pool A with an unbeaten record after they defeated Italy and will take on Chile in the other semi-final.

The winners of the Nations Cup gain promotion to the Pro League next season.

“It’s a testament to the strength and resilience of this group of women that we were able to achieve what we did today,” said Irish captain Mullan.

“We played the way we said we were going to play. We created chances and we took them. It was a very pleasing win and now onto the next game.”

In the first quarter, Naomi Carroll had the ball in the net but it came off the back of her stick and was disallowed.

Niamh Carey was denied by a good save and McLoughlin saw her effort from a penalty corner hit the post.

However, she wouldn’t miss given a second opportunity. McLoughlin’s shot found the corner of the South Korean net to give Ireland the second quarter lead.

It would be a nice variation from another corner just before half-time that would see the Irish double their advantage.

Elena Neill, on her 150th appearance for Ireland, found Hawkshaw, who deflected the ball into the backboard.

While a world-class save from Kim Eunji stopped Carroll from adding to the lead in a scoreless third quarter, there was nothing the goalkeeper could do about the third Irish goal.

A loose ball in the circle broke perfectly for Mullan who hammered it into the roof of the net on her reverse stick.

A confident performance was completed with the final play of the game as Upton’s drag flick from a penalty corner found the bottom corner.