The Irish women secured third place in their pool today with a 1-1 draw against the Ukraine at the European Hockey Championships in Barcelona.
Ireland looked sluggish in the opening stages as the Ukraine piled on the pressure but Riet Kuper's side settled after the break as they found a rhythm and soared in confidence.
The Ukraine opened the scoring on 20 minutes when Maryna Litvinchuk fired home a short corner but Ireland got back on level terms when Lynsey McVicker pounced on 48 minutes.
The result means that Ireland have secured a play-off place to finish between fifth and eight in the overall standings, ensuring qualification for the 2005 tournament.
