Ireland hockey team guarantee best-ever World Cup finish despite France defeat

Ireland staged for a historical FIH World Cup campaign

Wins over South Africa and Malaysia had already banked enough points, and Ireland still topped the pool, RTÉ Sport reported.

A cagey first half produced little before Jeremy Duncan broke the deadlock early in the second, picking the pocket of Eliot Curty, rounding the French goalkeeper and finishing into the bottom corner off his reverse stick from a tight angle.

France levelled three minutes later when a penalty corner gave Victor Chalet the chance to fire into the bottom corner.

Where the Ireland side go next

With time running out, France withdrew goalkeeper Corentin Saunier for an extra outfield player and won a penalty corner that Jaime Carr had to parry over the bar.

The reprieve was brief: Timothée Clément deflected home inside the last two minutes.

"It’s brilliant. One of our goals at the start of the tournament if we didn’t get into the top eight was to be in that ninth/10th play-off," said Duncan.

"We are delighted to be in that game. We are ninth in the world at the moment, and we want to finish at that ranking."