HOCKEY/World Cup qualifier: The Irish women's hockey squad yesterday set off for Rome, where they will face as daunting a challenge in their quest to qualify for the World Cup in Madrid later this year as their male counterparts did in their World Cup Qualifier in China.
The top five in the 12-team tournament will go through to September's finals, but with six of the nations ranked above Ireland in the world list Riet Kuper's team must upset the seedings if they are to qualify for their second successive World Cup.
New Zealand and Korea, ranked at six and seven in the world respectively, will be favourites to take the top two placings in Ireland's pool, enough to put them into the semi-finals and guarantee them qualification for Madrid.
Ireland, meanwhile, expect to be battling it out with the United States, Azerbaijan and hosts Italy for a third- or fourth-place finish in the pool, one that would see them go through to the fifth-eighth place play-offs, where they would have to win two games to clinch the fifth and final qualifying spot.
All three nations played Ireland in their build-up to Rome, in which they lost 11 of their 12 games, Azerbaijan winning twice, Italy once and the States beating and losing to Ireland when they met twice in Argentina.
The form, then, isn't encouraging, Kuper's main concern her team's continuing struggle to score goals, a struggle that has intensified since the retirements of Jenny Burke and Lynsey McVicker after last summer's European Championships.
What was heartening, though, in the build-up was the form of the defence, which never conceded more than two goals in a game, even against some of the world's top nations, including world champions Argentina and Olympic champions Germany.
They will need to be just as disciplined in Rome, not least because goal difference could be a crucial factor in the pool, starting in their opening game against the United States on Tuesday.
There has rarely been much between the teams in their previous meetings, although Ireland will take heart from their 3-1 win over the States in Argentina last month.
A repeat of that result would be a dream start for the Irish, but even a draw would be a satisfactory outcome, with wins then over the lowest-ranked teams in the pool, Azerbaijan and Italy, likely to be enough to put Ireland in to those fifth-eighth place play-offs.
"Losing to Italy (in Manchester earlier this month) was a big disappointment but we learnt plenty from that game," said Irish captain Linda Caulfield.
"They're an aggressive, physical side and I honestly believe if we can match them in those departments we'll be good enough to take the points from them.
"And we're not too worried about having lost to Azerbaijan in South Africa (in February); we were only starting out in our build-up at that stage so we really should beat them in Rome."
Azerbaijan, though, are sending a squad of full-time professionals to the tournament, thanks to sponsorship from Ata Airlines and the support of their government (the president of the Azerbaijan Hockey Federation is also the country's "tax minister").
The players live together in Baku and train twice a day, that level of preparation helping the leading club, Ata Sport, to win silver at the Club Championships in Holland last year.
While they might be the second-lowest-ranked team in the tournament (France, in Pool A, are ranked one place lower at 21), so confident are they about the team they are sending to Rome their Federation is expecting not just qualification for the World Cup but also a top-three finish and a medal.
Ireland's sights aren't set nearly so high; fifth place and a ticket to Madrid would more than suffice.
POOL A (world ranking in brackets): China (5), Japan (8), England (9), Ukraine (15), Scotland (17), France (21).
POOL B (world ranking in brackets): New Zealand (6), Korea (7), United States (12), Ireland (joint 13), Azerbaijan (19), Italy (20).
ALREADY QUALIFIED FOR THE WORLD CUP (world ranking in brackets): Holland (1), Argentina (2), Australia (3), Germany (4), Spain (10), South Africa (11), India (joint 13).
IRELAND'S SCHEDULE (Irish times): Tuesday (April 25th): v USA, 12.30 Thursday (April 27th): v Korea, 5.0 Saturday (April 29th): v New Zealand, 7.30 Monday (May 1st): v Italy, 3.0 Tuesday (May 2nd): v Azerbaijan, 2.45 Thursday (May 4th) - Saturday (May 6th): Crossover games.
