Sport

Northern Ireland gunning for ninth place finish to Netball World Cup

Northern Ireland's Ciara Crosbie and Barbados' Rhe-Ann Niles-Mapp (left) battle for the ball during Thursday's Netball World Cup match. Picture by Nigel French, Press Association
Northern Ireland's Ciara Crosbie and Barbados' Rhe-Ann Niles-Mapp (left) battle for the ball during Thursday's Netball World Cup match. Picture by Nigel French, Press Association Northern Ireland's Ciara Crosbie and Barbados' Rhe-Ann Niles-Mapp (left) battle for the ball during Thursday's Netball World Cup match. Picture by Nigel French, Press Association

NORTHERN Ireland netballers hope to finish this year’s World Cup on a high when they take on Trinidad and Tobago in today’s ninth-placement match.

A hard-fought victory over Barbados ensured a top-ten finish, and a win today would give the Northern Ireland ladies a respectable ninth-place finish overall.

As of June 30, Northern Ireland are ranked eighth in the world and were hoping for a top-eight finish heading into the 2019 Netball World Cup in Liverpool.

However, disappointing defeats to Zimbabwe and Malawi and tough fixtures against heavyweights Australia and New Zealand put an end to Northern Ireland’s aim of a top-eight placing.

Trinidad and Tobago are two places below Northern Ireland in the current world rankings but were very unlucky not to beat Scotland in their last game, who are ranked 7th in the world.

Northern Ireland coach Dan Ryan will be hoping his side can up the intensity in their final game of the World Cup.

Speaking after the Barbados victory, he said: “We were going through cruise control and you can't afford to do that in this competition. We need to be much better in our play-off match, but we are in there and that's what counts."