McVicker strikes vintage golden goal

WOMEN'S HOCKEY: The Irish women's team made it a double success for the hosts at the European Nations' Cup Qualifier at Belfield yesterday, with Lynsey McVicker scoring a gem of a golden-goal winner to beat Scotland 2-1 in the final.

WONMHaving already secured their passage to the finals in Barcelona next year by beating Italy in Saturday's semi-finals, with a 68th-minute winner fom Jenny Burke, Ireland "finished the week off beautifully", as coach Riet Kuper put it, with a hard-earned victory over the Scots.

After a first half in which there was little to choose between the teams, with Tara Browne's save from Valerie Thompson's short corner strike the only occasion either goalkeeper was tested, Ireland broke the deadlock nine minutes into the second period, converting their second corner of the game. A smartly-worked set-piece it was too, McVicker pushing out to Boyles, who returned the ball to her at the left post where she swept it first time past Tracey Robb in the Scottish goal.

Claire McMahon was unlucky not to add a second in the 58th minute when, after a surging run up the left wing, her shot flew just wide of the right post. The winger was denied again six minutes from time when, after rounding Robb, her shot was cleared off the line by defender Jane Burley.

With just three minutes left on the clock Rhona Simpson rescued Scotland with a clinical finish from a short corner to send the game into extra time.

Susan Gilmour spurned the best chance of the first period, firing wide when she had a free shot on goal, but the golden goal that clinched the game, just four minutes away from "penalty-strokes" time, was a worthy winner.

Left-back Pamela Magill pushed up in to midfield and picked out McVicker at the edge of the circle. The Ballymoney coach turned and thundered a wonderful shot into the bottom right corner of the goal, and for her trouble was promptly buried under a mound of Irish bodies.

"A fantastic goal, but that's Lynsey," said Kuper. "It was a great way to the finish the week - big crowd, fantastic atmosphere, sun shining and Ireland win the tournament. What more could you ask for?"

While their World Cup build-up has yet to be finalised, the squad's pre-Perth itinerary will take in Holland, Germany, Spain, the United States and possibly South Africa before they depart for Australia in early November. They will do so with their "European" qualifying mission accomplished. Now all thoughts turn to the World Cup, which Ireland open in four months' time against England.

IRELAND: T Browne; L Caulfield, D Sixsmith, A Boyles, P Magill, L Lee, J Orbinson, R Kohler (capt), C McMahon, J Burke, L McVicker. Subs: A Platt, E Cregan, C O'Brien, L O'Neill, S Parkhill.

SCOTLAND: T Robb, H Walker, A Longmuir, C Lampard, R Simpson (capt), A Grant, E Rochlin, V Thompson, S Gilmour, L Clement, L Gordon. Subs: C Valentine, L Burton, S Judge, J Burley.

Saturday - Semi-finals: Ireland 1 (J Burke), Italy 0; Scotland 3, France 0. Fifth-eighth place play-offs: Belarus 8, Finland 0; Poland 6, Greece 0. Sunday- Final: Ireland 2 (L McVicker 2), Scotland 1 (R Simpson), after golden goal extra time; 3rd/4th: Italy 1, France 0; 5th/6th: Poland 2 Belarus 1 (aet); 7th/8th: Greece 2, Finland 1.