FULL TIME: Ireland 1 Australia 4

The scoreline was perhaps a little flattering. Ireland were very much involved in the contest for 45 minutes but tired in the latter stages. The penalty stroke was the killer blow as Ireland were the better side for the ten minutes prior and it was a fairly soft concession.

In any case, Ireland avoid the wooden spoon and could end in third depending on how Scotland fare against Chile. Should our Celtic neighbours win, Ireland take third.

Standings (played, points, goal difference): 1. Australia 4-12pts (+18) 2. Scotland 3-6pts (+6) 3. Ireland 4-3pts (-5) 4. Chile 3-3pts (-8) 5. Malaysia 4-3pts (-12)

70 minutes

Clare Messent does spectacularly well to dive full-length but Goode reads the danger to block the touch. Alex Speers shows some nice skill to mark the final hooter.

68 minutes

The bulldozing Amy Korner - reminiscent of German sharp-shooter Natasha Keller - gets away another punched shot with her back to goal which Goode does well to chest away.

67 minutes

A late rally from Ireland, Cliodhna Sargent's mishit ball from the right confuses everyone and actually skipped through a dangerous area but to deflector was in the right place to capitalise.

65 minutes

Emma Clarke takes a blow to the hand which even her sizeable glove can't withstand. A quick delay and we're back with Cregan up top, on the ball in the 25.,

62 minutes

Hope Munro sarcastically stops the ball dead, a reference to an earlier decision where she took an auto-pass not to the umpire's liking. Amy Kroner's snap-shot draws a corner which seems to have some crossing at the top of the circle, How and ever, Madonna Bltyh batters a shot which Goode saves well into the foot of Kate Hollywood.

58 minutes GOAL Australia 4 Ireland 1 Shelley Liddelow

A simple tap-in for Shelly Liddelow at the back post after Ashleigh Nelson's right wing cross. It's been coming for the last while and was simply worked.

57 minutes

The corner makes it to the flick spot before seemingly hitting a foot but the umpires wave play on as the ball rolls to the corner flag.

56 minutes

Shelly Liddelow is tipped over for another Australia corner who are holding sway over a wilting Ireland as the sun comes out.

54 minutes

Brilliant cover tackle to deny an Aussie shot. I think it was either Smyth or O'Flynn diving full length. Another shot is blocked by a combination of Goode and Harvey but the whistle has gone. In the next play, Symmons stays down holding her ankle and the time is stopped. She has been immense at the heart of defence today.

53 minutes

Mary Goode calmly clears two loose balls as Symmons does brilliantly to clear more danger.

50 minutes

Hope Munro takes a yellow for a foul on Alex Speers who does well after initially dropping her stick, didn't seem a huge amount in it but cards have been thrown about like confetti this tournament and Ireland have a bonus.

50 minutes

Australia have a much greater spring in their step since the goal and have the majority of the territory.

46 minutes GOAL Australia: Nicole Arrold

Penalty stroke for Australia after Brdiget Cleland fouls close to the goal. Nicole Arrold dispatches and that's a bitter pill to swallow. Ireland have made all the running in this half but one crash ball into the circle does the damage as no defender deals with the ball and the Aussie forward stops with her back to goal and Cleland nudges her for the stroke.

45 minutes

All Ireland for the past five minutes, Emma Smyth becoming a major inffluence at right-midfield while Nikki Symmons aerial bombs are bearing fruit. Lisa Jacob embarks on a strong run down the left to win a free on the 25.,

42 minutes

Niamh Small steals on halfway and hares towards the 25 but she probably takes the wrong option and is tackled by an open-side stick with Emma Clarke racing down the right.

41 minutes

Lizzie Colvin's quick auto-pass breaks the circle, Cregan takes up the running but is well blocked by Kobie McGurk. Decent spell for Ireland.

40 minutes

Symmons fires a superb overhead to Alex Speers behind the Australian right-back. She's blocked on the circle but Emma Smyth leads the second wave and draws a second corner. It's switched to Michelle Harvey but her drag is blocked.

37 minutes

Australia back up to 11 and O'Flynn about to return for the greens. Nikki Symmons makes a strong tackle to break another attack.

36 minutes

Eimear Cregan dashes out to give some last minute advice to the Irish huddle. Umpire Michelle Joubert encourages them to get back to action with a stern whistle - in her 50th international - and the big cry goes up and we're ready to go.

Half time - Ireland 1 Australia 2

A more than decent half of hockey, Ireland denying the Aussies any sort of rhythm and they don't look to be overly secure at the back. A couple of Irish corners could see this open up. The hockeyroos have been in the ascendancy as expected but have shown little of the blistering, fast-paced hockey they're famed for but their corner routine has been crucial.

The early morning weather also lends itself to a big Irish effort, the coldest its been this week.

32 minutes

Audrey O'Flynn makes an excellent sliding interception to guide the ball over the sideline. The problem is in her haste to get back in the game she retreats three yards and then fouls the ball from the auto-pass. Corner and yellow card and we're 10 vs 10. The corner is blocked by the number one runner to the safety of a long corner.

31 minutes

Cregan bounces her way into the circle but the Aussies shut her down with a good double-up.

29 minutes

Emma Clarke drags the ball back into a diving Casey Eastham, 35 yards out and the Hockeyroo takes a yellow for her troubles. Crucial time for Ireland with the advantage until the break.

27 minutes

Nikki Symmons swaps in for Audrey O'Flynn in the defensive corner team and spots the deflection move this time, cleaning out Munro before she can apply a touch. Clever work.

26 minutes

Eimear Cregan just runs out of pitch space, raiding down the left wing. Australia bounce back and win a fairly cheap corner, the ball coming up off an Irish stick.

25 minutes

Megan Frazer takes a nasty stick to the ankle and hobbles toward the sideline. Mary Goode, in the wake of the opening goal, also looked in a bit of trouble as the demands of four games in five days takes its toll.

23 minutes

Michelle Harvey makes another big tackle to break up an Australian attack. She has been a top performer and was mentioned in the tournament office as one of the Irish nominees for player of the tournament.

21 minutes

Kate Hollywood wins another corner for Australia who haven't been overly impressive thus far in the face of a solid Irish performance. A good corner routine, though, has got their noses in front. This one isn't great, however, Shelly Liddelow ballooning her hit over the bar.

19 minutes: GOAL: Ireland Alex Speers

Ireland earn their first corner which Audrey O'Flynn drags, Toni Kronk saves but only to an attacker whose goalward flick hits a foot. From the second corner, O'Flynn changes the angle to injector Speers who gets a tidy reverse-stick touch and Ireland are back in this. 2-1

15 minutes - GOAL Australia: Hope Munro

And Australia double the advantage with a similar variation from their second corner. Munro again is the deflector, moving slightly wider this time to guide the ball home from Stacia Joseph's drag. 2-0

6 minutes GOAL - Australia: Hope Munro

Australia hit the front with a neatly worked corner with Hope Munro deflecting, wrong-footing Mary Goode for 1-0.

Team news

Mary Goode comes back in for Louisa Healy while Julia O'Halloran returns in place of Roisin Flinn.

Ireland: M Goode, M Harvey, C Sargent, E Cregan (capt), E Clarke, B Cleland, L Jacob, A Speers, N Symmons, E Smyth, L Colvin
Subs: S McCay, J O’Halloran, M Frazer, A O’Flynn, N Small

Australia: T Cronk, C Eastham, K Walker, A Nelson, A Flanagan, K Hollywood, M Blyth (capt), S Liddelow, N Arrold, K McGurk, T Attard
Subs: F Johnson, S Joseph, H Munro, A Korner, C Messent

Welcome to the Ireland vs Australia matchtracker

Welcome to the match-tracker for Ireland's final game in the World Cup qualifiers and apologies for the slight delay in getting started. An internet go-slow and a metro delay combined to see The Hook arrive late to the party!