India 4-0 Ireland
Ireland's wait for a win in this season's FIH Pro League goes on after India's 4-0 win at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.
India took the lead through Nilam Sanjeep Xess' 14th-minute field goal.
Mandeep Singh added a second for India in the 24th minute from a penalty corner variation to double the lead.
Abhishek added a third just before half-time to give India a commanding lead going into the break, before Shamsher Singh put the result beyond reach with a fourth goal early in the third quarter.
Ireland began the game brightly and Jonny Lynch had the first chance of the game in the fifth minute but was denied by India's goalkeeper.
Not long after Ireland had the first penalty corner of the game, opting to go direct through Adam Walker but Manpreet charged down the effort.
However, India broke the deadlock after 14 minutes, when Xess beat two players on the baseline, hit the post and recovered the loose ball to fire past Ireland keeper Jaime Carr.
India added a second halfway through the second quarter, this time from a penalty corner, as Mandeep Singh deflected into the net.
India grabbed a third to take command of the game before half-time. An early strike hit Walker on the foot, with India recovering the ball and working their player advantage in the circle to give Abishek the space to score.
India put the game beyond Ireland’s reach not long after the break, Mandeep Singh adding an assist to his tally with a dangerous ball into the circle which was deflected in by Dilpreet Singh.
Despite the deficit, Ireland continued to try and unpick with Indian defence.
The visitors enjoyed more possession and control in the final stages, creating a couple of scoring chances, including a penalty corner that was excellently won by Louis Rowe, but the goal wasn’t to come.
