Duncan’s equaliser earns Ireland a draw against Pakistan

Ireland 2 (C Harte, J Duncan) Pakistan 2 (M A Bilal, A Shan)

Jeremy Duncan’s late goal earned Ireland a deserved draw against Pakistan in the first tie of their three-game series at Comber Road on a night when Conor Harte scored the other goal in his 200th Irish appearance.

Pakistan went in front from a deflected penalty corner with Muhammad Aleem Bilal’s effort finding its way in.

But Harte equalised in the 17th minute from Ireland’s second corner, his powerful shot finding its way in off the inner thigh of goalkeeper Amjad Ali.

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But the visitors, ranked five places below Ireland in the world at 14, returned to the lead two minutes before half-time when Ali Shan snapped up a rebound off David Harte’s pads after the keeper had initially denied Muhammad Dilber.

Ireland enjoyed their best spell in the third quarter, running up their corner count while Jeremy Duncan was only denied by an excellent close-range stop from Amjad.

Duncan and Ireland did get his reward though in the closing five minutes from a scintillating move as Matthew Nelson hit Alan Sothern on the left baseline.

His quick pass found Duncan who arrived on cue at the back post to guide in the equaliser.

Ireland: D Harte, Jackson, J Bell, C Cargo,M Nelson, E Magee, S O'Donoghue, J McKee, S Loughrey, C Harte, K Shimmins. Subs: J Carr, M Bell, A Sothern, N Glassey, S Murray, J Duncan, L Cole

Pakistan: A Ali, B M Aleen, M Mushtaq, Rizwan Jr, M Abu, A Tasawar, Q M Arslan, Irfan Jr, A Khan, A Shan, Ajaz Ahmad, M Abbas, A Niwaz, U Bhutta, M Dilber, S A Butt, U Sarfraz, M Yaqoob.

Umpires: R Donaldson, P Wright