Hockey: Lister's masterstroke

GREAT BRITAIN'S prospects of going to the Olympics are intact as a result of England beating Ireland yesterday 2-0 in a penalty stroke competition after drawing 1-1 in a first-round crossover match to determine the 9th to 12th positions in the Women's World Cup at University College, Dublin.

Sandie Lister, the England captain, clinched Britain's spot in the Olympic Qualifying tournament in Cape Town in 16 months' time, scoring their fourth stroke after Chris Cook had shown the way with a clinical effort at the previous one.

England had a glorious opportunity to clinch the match when, with the score at 1-1 and 17 minutes remaining, the German umpire Carola Heinrichs awarded a penalty stroke for feet against Judith Chapman at the top of the circle, but Sandra O'Gorman, who has been outstanding in the Irish goal, saved well from Kathy Johnson.

England started brightly with Tammy Miller and Sally Gibson both testing O'Gorman before Jill Atkins put them in front from a 19th-minute penalty corner with a deflected shot.

Seven minutes later the stadium erupted when Ireland equalised. Mary Logue's free- hit was scrambled across the circle before Lynsey McVicker finished the move at the far post. Jo Thompson then saved superbly from Sarah Kelleher to deny the Irish a second.

England play Canada today for ninth place.

ENGLAND: J Thompson (Slough); J Atkins (Bradford Swithenbank); L Youngs (Ipswich), K Johnson (Balsam Leicester), C Cook (Hightown); S Lister (capt, Ipswich), M Davies (First Personnel Sutton Coldfield), T Miller (Clifton); S Gibson (Trojans), J Sixsmith (First Personnel Sutton Coldfield), T Cullen (Hightown). Substitutes used: S Wright and A Bennett (Slough) and J Smith (Chelmsford).

IRELAND: S O'Gorman (Muckross); G Stevenson (North Down); M Logue (Muckross), J Stewart (Ards), C Craig (Ards); J Turner (Pegasus), T Hurley (Muckross), L Brown (Pegasus); S Kelleher Capt. (University College, Cork), J Chapman (Portadown), L McVicker (Portadown). Substitutes used: S Young (University College, Cork) and R Kohler (University College, Cork).

UMPIRES: C Heinrichs (Germany) and L Crespo (Argentina).