WOMEN'S HOCKEY:THE IRISH team tackle one of the major players in the sport when they meet Korea in the Olympic qualifier at Vikes Field, Vancouver, today.
The Asian side, ranked sixth in the world and much vexed at the indignity of having to seek their place at the Beijing Games via this tournament, were in awesome form as they brushed Italy aside 5-0 on Tuesday.
Next onto the pitch after Ireland laboured to a 1-0 win against lowly Uruguay, the Koreans displayed a ruthlessness and strength that left the Italian coach Ferrara Fernando ruefully extolling their "primo tempo".
Ireland, too, enter today's fray unbeaten after three rounds of games but trail hopelessly on "goals scored", having hit just six while their prolific opponents have chalked up 20.
Neither team has conceded a score, though Ciara O'Brien, Claire Parkhill and the rest of the defence will be hard pushed to extend that record today against a nation that has twice collected silver at past Olympics.
Goal number three against Italy best illustrated Korea's ability to turn defence into devastating attack with skills none of the other teams in the tournament possess. A wristy overhead from sweeper Lee Seon Ok was used to bypass midfield and gift Park Mi Hyun a gleefully accepted opportunity, providing much food for thought to the watching Irish.
Coach Gene Muller is likely to favour the more experienced Mary Goode in goal today, ahead of Louisa Healy, who was given a rare outing against the Uruguayans, to cope with the expected bombardment.
Whoever he selects between the posts must be prepared to withstand the sort of drag flicking at penalty corners normally the preserve of men's hockey.
Not only Lee Seon Ok but also Kim Jin Kyoung and Cheon Seul Ki are capable of sending the ball airborne with real menace - or keeping it low and lethal.
Muller's impeccable logic is that his charges require one more win from two matches to secure their place in Sunday's decider. Even if they fail to collect three points from the Koreans, they still have the fall-back of the game with Italy on Saturday.
Ireland have won their last four games against Italy, most recently taming Fernando's girls 3-0 at the European championships in Manchester last summer. In contrast, though they drew 0-0 with Korea at the World Cup qualifier in Rome in 2006, they have not defeated today's opposition in six attempts since they came out on top in the first meeting between the two countries back in 1983.
The chances are the side of 2008 will have to repeat the feat of a quarter century ago at least once over the next few days if they are to gatecrash the Beijing Games.
OLYMPIC QUALIFIER (in Vancouver) - Day three:Ireland 1 (N Symmons), Uruguay 0; Korea 5, Italy 0; Canada 1, Malaysia 0. Standings: 1 Korea 9pts; 2 Ireland 9; 3 Italy 6; 4 Canada 3; 5 Malaysia 0; 6 Uruguay 0.
