Spain a hard nut to crack

WOMEN'S HOCKEY/European Championship: Now that the European Championships' A division consists of just eight teams, rather than 12, there's not much time for the competing nations to ease their way into the tournament any more. And so, with just 70 minutes of hockey played, Ireland go in to a game this evening that is likely to determine whether or not they can achieve the goal set for them by their coach, a place in Friday's semi-finals.

Victory over Spain would guarantee a top-two finish in the pool for Ireland, leaving them assured of a top-four placing in the event, their highest ever. A draw would, most probably, mean goal difference would be required to separate the teams after tomorrow's final pool games, and Spain already appear to have the advantage in that department.

While Ireland's single goal against France on Sunday was sufficient to give them the three points they desperately wanted to start the tournament, Spain would fancy their chances of scoring more against the lowest-ranked side in the competition, while hoping that Ireland would lose to Holland by at least a couple of goals.

All those permutations, though, would happily be cast to the wind if Ireland could do what they've failed so far to do in Riet Kuper's reign: beat Spain in a major tournament. In the 1999 European finals the Spanish ended Ireland's hopes of a top eight finish in Cologne when they won their pool game 2-1, while in Milton Keynes the following year, their 2-0 victory sealed their place in the Sydney Olympic Games. Their last competitive meeting, excluding friendly and four nations' meetings, was in Perth at the 2002 World Cup when the Spanish, once again, prevailed, this time winning 2-1.

That, then, is the recent record between the nations, one that doesn't augur particularly well for Kuper's team. There's never been too much between the teams, but always enough to see Spain through.

Kuper, though, is of the view that the Spanish are more vulnerable this time around, having had to rebuild after winning silver at the last European finals, which they hosted in Barcelona.

Their pre-Dublin results would back up the Irish coach's opinion, their lowest point coming in America last month when they finished last in the Champions Challenge, behind South Africa, New Zealand, England, Japan and the United States.

But even if they have lost several of their most experienced players Spain retain an impressive core, made up of the irrepressible Nuria Camon, captain Silvia Munoz and goalkeeper Maria Rosa, who was outstanding in the 3-0 defeat to Holland on Sunday.

However, if Fiona Connery, Ciara O'Brien, Bridget McKeever and Katharine Smyth can play as solidly as they did against the French, as they have done for much of the build-up to the tournament, the Spanish attack could be blunted again. At the other end, though, Ireland simply must take their chances, as they largely failed to do against France.

An improvement in that area and that top four finish could be secured. But the Spanish are doughty battlers, as Ireland have so often learnt to their cost.