Hockey News: 'Coach Sjoerd Marijne should be blamed for India's loss against Ireland'

India put up a strong fight but ended up on a losing note against Ireland in the quarter-final match of the Women’s Hockey World Cup as they were defeated 1-3 in the shoot-out. The feisty game remained goal-less and was forced into a shootout to decide the winner. But Ireland, led by their goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran, held their nerves better at crunch moments to enter the semi-finals of a World Cup for the first time ever. India, on the other hand, had to stay content with their third top-eight finish in a World Cup after 1978, which is an achievement in itself; but coach Sjoerd Marijne and his team would have hoped to reverse the result of their 0-1 defeat at the hands of Ireland in the pool stage on July 26. But it wasn't to be. India finished fourth in 1974 and seventh in the 1978 edition of the World Cup. Ireland scored thrice in the shootout and Indian strikers could beat the steely McFerran only once -- through Reena Khokhar -- to end up on the losing side. For the Irish team, Roisin Upton, Alison Meeke and Chloe Watkins managed to beat India's custodian Savita, while skipper Rani Rampal, Monika and Navjot Kaur failed to score. The green shirts will play Spain, another underdog, in the semi-finals on Saturday. While Ireland are the second-lowest-ranked team of the tournament at No. 16, Spain are 11th on the International Hockey Federation rankings.