England complete double-victory over Ireland

ENGLAND completed a double-victory over Ireland in Dublin as Katie Long scored her first senior international goal.

Jenny Hall notched the only goal of the game on Friday as England edged a scrappy encounter but they were much improved at the second time of asking.

Nicky Symmons had given Ireland an early lead, but England replied through Beijing Olympians Alex Danson and Kate Walsh before Long added a third.

It was the hosts that started the brighter with Symmons' third-minute penalty corner flicked low inside Beth Storry's right hand post.

England, led by captain-for-the day Helen Richardson who was making her 100th senior England appearance, equalised soon after through Danson, whose shot from the left top of the circle found the back of the net.

As the half progressed England began pressing Ireland and after three previously unsuccessful penalty corners Walsh scored with a well executed penalty corner drag flick in the 20th minute.

Three minutes after the sides returned for the second half Long added her name to the score sheet in only her fourth senior appearance, diving at the far post to deflect the ball into the net for her first senior international goal.

"Today we saw a good improvement from game one," said heach coach Danny Kerry. 

"We started the second half well and I thought we had more control of the game than in the first. 

"It has certainly been a useful training camp but there is an enormous amount of work to be done between now and the summer tournaments."