Ireland square the series in Glasgow
Ireland’s women took a well deserved win in the third and final match of the November Test Series at the National Hockey Centre in Glasgow. 1-0 up at the break, another goal in the second half sealed the victory for the visitors.
The opening exchanges were fairly evenly matched, but Ireland had the first opportunity for a score with a penalty corner seven minutes in, but Shirley McCay’s low shot was deflected around the post off the stick of a diving Nicola Cochrane. This save was to prove to be the first in a string of fine stops by the Scottish keeper as Ireland rained in shots on the home side goal.
The visitors then opened their account with 15 minutes on the clock when a reverse stick strike from the sliding Nicola Evans at the top of the ‘D’ cut back across the goal to leave Cochrane wrong 
footed.
She redeemed herself 10 minutes later when she saved a close in strike, but the writing was on the wall and Scotland’s few trips upfield were easily dealt with by the Irish defence. However, their attack, despite the best efforts of Chloe Brown, Cliodhna Sargent and Megan Frazer, couldn’t add to their tally before the break.
Once again, Scotland came out all guns blazing in the second half, but Ireland were soon back in command of the ball and a ‘goal’ 10 minutes in was disallowed by Scotland’s Olympics-bound Sarah Wilson for a high ball in the area.
The next 15 minutes of the match could so easily have been spent picking the ball out of the Scottish net, but a combination of Cochrane saves, a goal line clearance from Emily Newlands – also the only carded (green) player – and poor finishing from Ireland kept the score at 1-0.
It couldn’t last, however and in the 60th minute Ireland netted their second when Emily Beattie ended a long run into the ‘D’ with a fierce strike that gave Cochrane no chance.
The Scots’ keeper earned her corn in the final 10 minutes with another string of saves – aided by Newlands – meant that the visitors had to be content with a 2-0 victory backed up by a fine performance from the squad in general.
Images from the match will appear here over the next few days
