FIH Hockey Pro League, India vs Ireland Highlights: Manpreet shines as India conclude Odisha leg with 4-0 win

Here's how the Pro League standings look as the Odisha tournament comes to an end with India moving to 3rd. The tournament now enters a break and will restart with India vs Argentina in the Antwerp mini tournament on 22 May. 

Player of the match: Manpreet Singh, who had a fine match in the midfield in a more attacking role. And a lovely touch in the end, as Manpreet dedicates the match to Krishan Pathak who he confirms is now a father to a baby boy. It's our gift to him, he says,

A fine win to close out the Pro League leg at home as Harmanpreet Singh's men down Ireland 4-0. It wasn't as dominant as the scoreline would suggest, but India finish the much stronger side. Ireland played quite well actually but have nothing to show for it on the scoresheet.

That's a superbly taken drag flick by Jugraj Singh. Speed his big weapon and he nails it low inside out to the GK's left. 

It's a good review, it looks like. But it is a retake because the PC was still in play. Not sure I quite got that. 

Harmanpreet takes the drag flick, the rush out is good. India have been given another PC though, but Ireland review. 

Mandeep Singh does well to win a PC for India. Captain Murray with a silly foul there, shoulder barging. Gets a yellow card. Into the last minute, India have a PC. 

Sreejesh saves again! He has had another fine game in goal. A PC for Ireland, and the Indian goalkeeper does well. 

Could have been a 1v1 in front of India's goal but Amit Rohidas does well in defence. Down the other end, Raj releases Sukhjeet down the right and the reverse hit is saved superbly by Carr's stick. 

Sukhjeet and Lalit with some nice stick work as India keep the ball well. Five minutes to go. 

The match is fizzling out a bit understandably. Not the highest intensity from both sides. 

Oh nearly a lovely ground pass all the way from India's defence to the byline down the other end but Akashdeep can't make more of it. India holding the ball now as the Irish fight starts to fade. 

Ireland start on the front foot but Lalit has a chance down the other end, turning inside from left and is about to get a shot away. But superb stick tackle prevents what would have been a fine goal. 

One fabulous goal in the third quarter and India are now comfortably placed. Ireland might try to come hard still with India down to 10 for a few more minutes. 

Akashdeep Singh with a lovely display of 3D skills, eliminated a few Irish defenders after lifting the ball up and balancing it well. India win a PC. But Harmanpreet's drag flick is saved well. 

Rabichandra gets a yellow card after advantage was played with Ireland having the ball. He's had a sloppy few minutes and that will now put India under defensive pressure for the next five minutes.

Sukhjeet goes forward with purpose and releases Gurjant down the left. A good ball into the danger area, but dealt with. Good spell this for India. 

Efficiency, again. Manpreet Singh receives a long ball, turns superbly into the circle and sends in a delicious reverse-hit pass into the danger area. Gurjant gets the deflection and into the roof of the net. The Indian players rush to Manpreet, that was a brilliant assist. 

John McKee does superbly to spin around in the circle and win a PC as Amir mistimes his tackle. And Amit Rohidas shows why he is one of the best PC rushers in the world. Superb block. 

Oh Raj Kumar Pal miscontrols at the edge of India's circle, and Ireland pour forward. Sukhjeet does well to get back and help out in defence. Harmanpreet meanwhile given a green card. 

Sreejesh saves. A reverse hit from the edge of the circle, and the Indian GK gets his foot out in time. Ireland continue to be camped in India's half.

Here we go then, second half underway. Fulton wants to see India's pace to go up in the opponent's half, let's see how India fare. Ireland might keep attacking but the next goal could deflate them if it goes India's way. Gurjant with a shot from the edge of the circle down the left. 

Fulton: They are defending well, we have been efficient in front of goal but need more control in their half. Long way to go. 

Ireland coach Tumilty: We conceded soft goals, but we need to be on the front foot in the second half. 

Fulton would have been happy to see the early goals today, after the frustration of not finding the net last time out against Ireland. But India not quite finding their passing rhythm today. Goals apart, they have been a bit sloppy. Ireland unlucky to not have anything to show for their 30 minutes of good hockey. 

The half-time hooter goes and India go in with a 2-0 lead. 

Five minutes to go in the half, Ireland continue to have impressive possession. India don't have to force the pace here of course, but maybe Fulton would like to see more incisive passing. Rohidas with a super aerial as I say that, and rookie Amir Ali with good control but he goes backward. India moving forward steadily now. 

There you go, another good review by India. Jugraj got his stick to the ball and wasn't the foot. 

India with a decent spell of possession but Ireland break forward from right to left and eventually win a PC. But India review once again, and once again they say it's a stick not foot. 

Fabulous defensive block, as it turns out, by Amit Rohidas. All stick, no leg. India continue to review well. 

SREEJESH! Big save from India's main man. Lovely foot out to the left. Soon after, another PC for Ireland but India review this. 

Ireland keeping the foot on the pedal. Credit to them. Another fast start, Sreejesh has to make a big save. And now another PC for the Irish. 

Two late goals before the hooter goes for Q1. Ireland dominated large parts of that match but two moments of brilliance for India changes the complexion completely. Manpreet played a key role in that turnaround. 

Akashdeep doubles the lead! An aerial ball to Sanjay who finds himself in space down the left and he sends the ball in, a scramble and it seems Akashdeep gets the final touch. 

AND WHAT A FINISH! Nilkanta Sharma, of all people, puts India ahead with a stunner. Harman takes the PC. The rebound falls to Nilakanta who smashes the ball into the turf on the full and into the net with a bounce.

Manpreet Singh turns up the afterburners and wins India's first PC of the night

Oh, that is a huge chance! Ireland go down the right byline and finds a great pass into the middle, Duncan mishits with nearly an open goal. India need to wake up here. Gurjant meanwhile is off for two minutes with a green card. 

The pace has slowed down now but still Ireland with the better share of the ball possession. 

Update on air: Krishan Pathak is expecting his child is away from the squad. Congratulations are in order. 

Sreejesh saves the first PC and the retake is shot over the goal. India hang on. Can they find some attacking momentum here? 

Just noticed that there is no Krishan Pathak for India today! Sreejesh starts and Sumit is listed as the backup goalkeeper. Wow. That would be something. (I imagine Sreejesh plays the full match) 

Manpreet, again in the midfield, with a super tackle to break down an Irish attack. Ireland come down in numbers again and win the first PC. This is a slow start by India, and Ireland are dominating the opening exchanges. 

A much more attacking start today by Ireland. Amit Rohidas with a crucial tackle outside the circle, now the Indian defence having to stay strong as Ireland attack down the right. 

Here's a look at the team lineups. 

Pushback in Rourkela. 

Ned was just a nickname until it became a motivation mantra of sorts that could well be plastered on the walls inside the dressing room. Ned – Never Ending Dream.

The acronym was born when ‘Ned’ started his own company more than a decade ago. When he moved to hockey coaching and took charge of Ireland, it became a rallying cry for the underdogs’ quest to qualify for the Olympics for the first time since 1948. In 2018, it became Belgium’s motto as they lifted their first World Cup. Ned’s dream now continues with India, the team he now coaches.

Here we go, the last Indian men's hockey home match for a while. The end of the Odisha leg as Harmanpreet Singh & Co. A huge roar of course! It was a tight game when India & Ireland met at Kalinga. 

I think if we take the loss against Australia and come back again to be competitive, two matches against Netherlands were competitive, defensively we have been good. Need to be better in front of goal, field goals wise. 

The Australia-Netherlands match ending late means a brief delay to this one. 

Before India vs Ireland, Australia and Netherlands play out another high-scoring thriller. This time Netherlands on the winning side, 5-3. After 6 wins in 6, Australia finish without a win in their last two matches. 

While head coach Craig Fulton would have liked to see a win or two in there, to hold Australia – who had 6 wins in 6 matches so far – for their first draw will be considered a good night’s work. And the key to it was defence, as Harmanpreet pointed out after the match.

Sample this: Australia had scored 28 goals in their 6 matches, for an average of 4.67. In addition, India tend to concede a bunch against the Kookaburras. In their last 10 official meetings – dating back to the Tokyo Olympics – India have let in a whopping 51 goals against the Aussies. It’s a clash of styles that India have just not been able to keep a lid on in recent times. 

So a 2-2 draw was a good result for Fulton's men. 

FIH Hockey Pro League: India’s defence makes a point in 2-2 draw against red-hot Australia

Hello all, and welcome to our live coverage of the Indian men's hockey team as they take on Ireland tonight in the FIH Pro League to make the end of their Rourkela mini-tournament.