Hockey World Cup 2018, Match 5: Australia v Ireland, Live Score, Commentary & Updates

FULL-TIME | It wasn't easy but we've won our first-up #HWC2018 clash!! #PrideOfTheKookas 🇦🇺2⃣ ☘️1⃣ pic.twitter.com/5SFNZ9YvOQ
— Kookaburras (@Kookaburras) November 30, 2018

That's it from us here - this is Subhashish - do join us when England play China at 1900 IST

What matters at the end of the day, however, is that Australia have come through this one with full points - Tim Brand earns the player of the match award a day after his 20th birthday!

Govers did well to power a flick in - the Aussies earned six PCs in total messing up a couple of them completely

Ireland did well to peg the Aussies back for large periods of the game - the Aussies themselves will reckon they could have better with the number of circle penetrations they managed - 28 in total with 16 shots on goal - just 2 to show on the scoresheet though!!!

FULL TIME: AUSTRALIA 2 - IRELAND 1

AUSTRALIA (BLAKE GOVERS 11' , TIMOTHY BRAND 34')

iRELAND (SHANE O'DONOGUE 13')

59' One final chance for Ireland - the Aussies manage to keep the Irish out of the circle - and earn three vital points

58' Ireland take Harte off but the Aussies are in no mood to relinquish their hold on the ball

58' Daniel Beale - tireless in the left flank - keeps pushing ahead - time ticking away for the Green Machine

57' The Australians quite happy to keep knocking the ball around - the Irish finally manage to gain possession and lose it right away

56' Conor Harte takes a hit as play is held up

55' Daniel Beale tries to pull in from the left flank - Chris Cargo wins the one-on-one battle and the Irish clear the lines

54' Ireland pass the ball around, looking for gaps, cannot find any and lose the ball

53' The Irish need the ball to try and draw level - but Craig has the ball as the Aussies press ahead - good defending by Ireland who mop up

52' Whetton loses his footing in the circle - fails to latch on to Harvie's pass

51' Ogilvie's tomahawk is off target as the Irish attempt to advance

FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS EVENING - THE AUSSIES MESS UP A PC

49' THE AUSSIES HAVE A PC

49' The Aussie strikers find space - Tom Craig loses out after charging into the Irish circle

48' Kirk Shimmins breaks ahead after the Aussies have three tries on goal saved by Harte

47' Govers' shot makes its way past Harte - from outside the striking circle though!!

46' Wotherspoon yet again - gets into the Irish circle - but fails to make it count

The Irish will rue a few missed chances although the Australians have had 20 circle penetrations and 14 shots on goal!! Fifteen minutes to go - can Cox's troops surprise the Aussies??

END OF Q3: AUSTRALIA 2 - IRELAND 1

44' Wotherspoon gets a cross in - but fails to get a result as quarter 3 ends!!!

44' Trent Mitton tries the left flank - finds Matthew Swann - the Irish defence solid as ever

44' The Green Machine persist with a string of attacks - earn a free hit

The pass into the circle was off a back stick - no PC

Touch call as the video umpire takes his time

43' THE IRISH LOOK FOR A FOOT IN THE AUSSIE CIRCLE

42' The Aussies have a chance to increase the tally- Craig fails to find the target

40' Jake Harvie attempts to cut into the Irish circle - fails to find space though

38' Alen Sothern fails to latch on to a great through ball - the Irish mess up a chance to score

36' The Aussies pass the ball around in their own half - try to find space down the center - the ball goes harmlessly out of the back line

NO PC - FREE OUT - BUT THE AUSSIES KEEP THEIR REFERRAL

35' WILL THE AUSSIES EARN ANOTHER PC???

Hayward flicks - ball saved on the line by Bell

34' PC FOR THE AUSSIES

AUSTRALIA 2 - IRELAND 1

33' WEYER AND BRAND COMBINE - BRAND SCORES!!!

GOAAAAAAAAAAAL

31' Jake Harvie charges down to the other end - to no avail as Ireland have a 16-yard free hit

TYLER LOVELL REPLACES CHARTER IN GOAL

"We need to do better in the attacking circle" says Colin Batch

"Really happy about the first half" says Alexander Cox

"We looked better" says the tweet but the scoreline tells a different tale. The Irish have advanced menacingly when they have managed to find space, they have intercepted some great balls at the center of the pitch - and most importantly have kept the tricky ones out after a couple of goalmouth melees

HALF-TIME | After a tight 1st 15, we looked the better in the 2nd without luck #HWC2018 #PrideOfTheKookas 🇦🇺1⃣ ☘️1⃣ pic.twitter.com/pP74803XvF
— Kookaburras (@Kookaburras) November 30, 2018

The Irish are not overawed one bit either by the massive Kalinga Stadium or by Colin Batch's World Champions - the Aussies have a fight on their hands - the Aussies managed 9 shots on goal off 12 circle entries while the Irish took 3 shots on goal from just as many circle penetrations - forget the stats, the Irish have been gritty on the pitch and Alexander Cox's troops have set up a perfect seceond half

HALF-TIME: AUSTRALIA 1 - IRELAND 1

28' Good work by Kirk Shimmins as he works his way into the Aussie 23 - fails to find support