Women’s World Cup: Ireland 3 (Hawkshaw 24, Upton 49 pen, Mullan 56), New Zealand 2 (Surridge 35, Doar 59)
The odds might still be against them taking a top-two finish in their World Cup group, but Ireland at least kept their hopes alive in Belgium on Tuesday morning by beating New Zealand 3-2.
However, they now most likely need a win over the Belgians, ranked third in the world, on Thursday if they are to snag that top-two finish and progress to the business end of the tournament. A draw might even do the job if New Zealand get the better of the Spanish in their final group game. In other words, it’s all up in air.
Ireland at least took the points they needed to give them a chance, with goals from captain Sarah Hawkshaw, Róisín Upton and Katie Mullan.
An eventful opening quarter saw New Zealand go close from two penalty corners, before Upton came close herself from Ireland’s first two set pieces of the game. It was, though, a disjointed display from both sides, the contest littered with misplaced passes and soft turnovers.
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Hawkshaw, though, settled Irish nerves on 24 minutes when she deflected home Niamh Carey’s effort on goal after the winger had been smartly picked out by Ellen Curran on the right of the circle. Ireland finished the second quarter well on top, having found their rhythm and becoming much tidier in possession.
They started the third quarter in attacking mode, Emily Kealy forcing a fine save from Grace O’Hanlon with a reverse strike from the left. But there then followed four New Zealand penalty corners in quick succession, Emelia Surridge levelling from the last when she deflected Casey Crowley’s shot past Liz Murphy.
Hawkshaw thought she has restored Ireland’s lead just before the end of the quarter but a video referral showed that the ball was outside the circle – by an inch – when she struck it.
The key moment in the final quarter came when New Zealand’s Hannah Cotter was sinbinned for five minutes for a foul on Upton, and Ireland made that advantage pay when they forced a penalty stroke less than a minute later, with Upton converting.
Four minutes from time, Mullan made it 3-1 with her 90th international goal in 264 appearances, turning home Upton’s penalty corner drag-flick, before Katie Doar’s late consolation score for New Zealand.
It all goes down to Thursday, then.
IRELAND: E Murphy; L Neill, C Perdue, H McLoughlin, S McAuley; C Beggs, S Hawkshaw, M Carey; N Carey, K Mullan, A Utri. Subs: H Micklem, R Upton, E Curran, C Hamill, K Larmour, M Power, E Kealy.
