Ireland off the mark

Women's soccer/Scotland - 0 Rep of Ireland - 0: The Irish women's team picked up their first point of the World Cup campaign…

Women's soccer/Scotland - 0 Rep of Ireland - 0: The Irish women's team picked up their first point of the World Cup campaign when they held Scotland to a goalless draw at McDiarmid Park in Perth yesterday.

The home side had slightly the better of the game but a strong visiting side, that included the likes of Ciara Grant, Yvonne Tracy and Olivia O'Toole, competed well and deserved the draw.

The result is a significant boost to Noel King's side's hopes of avoiding last place in the group and relegation from the top flight of the international game. The Irish now have a break from competitive games until March when they visit Switzerland.

In yesterday's game between the group's two big guns, Russia, who had previously won well against the Irish, Scots and Swiss, lost 5-1 to world and European champions Germany.