Ireland 5 Scotland 0
A superb 5-0 win over Scotland at the EuroHockey Championships in Mönchengladbach on Saturday, allied with Germany’s victory over England by the same scoreline on Sunday, has kept alive Ireland’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals of the tournament for the first time.
It’s a big ask, though, Sean Dancer’s side, who play the Germans in their final pool game on Tuesday, needing to match England’s result against Scotland – and hope that a superior goal difference by four isn’t overturned in the process.
Scotland, still without a point, have conceded nine goals and scored none in their two games to date, so it’s very definitely advantage England. Ireland will, at least, know what they have to do against Germany, England’s match taking place earlier in the day.
But Ireland will take no little confidence in to Tuesday’s game after a clinical performance against the Scots, three second-quarter goals all but deciding the tie.
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Hannah McLoughlin opened the scoring with a smart finish after she had been picked out in the circle by Sarah Hawkshaw, Ellen Curran doubling the lead within a minute following a driving run by Michelle Carey down the right. And it was 3-0 by half-time when Niamh Carey drilled home a pass from her twin sister Michelle.
A fourth-quarter double from Sarah Torrans rounded off an emphatic victory, her second the pick of the two when she finished coolly after being set free by Deirdre Duke.
Ireland have never finished higher than fifth in the tournament, a feat they achieved four times, the last in 2019. Their chief aim this time around was a top six finish that would see them retain their top-tier status in the European Championships, and earn a spot in one of next January’s Olympic qualifiers. Now, though, their sights are set a little higher.
IRELAND: A McFerran, C Sherin, E Neill, R Upton, S McAuley, S Hawkshaw, C Beggs, N Carey, K Mullan (capt), N Carroll, K McKee.
Subs: L Murphy, M Carey, S Torrans, H McLoughlin, E Curran, C Perdue, D Duke.
