EuroHockey Championships: Ireland draw with Spain to keep hopes of finishing fifth alive
- Published
Ireland's Sarah Hawkshaw in possession in Friday's game against Spain in Monchengladbach
Ireland came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw with Spain and stay in the hunt for a fifth-placed finish at the EuroHockey Championships in Germany.
Sarah McAuley's first international goal gave Ireland the lead before Spain struck back after half-time with a pair of penalty corner goals.
However, Ireland earned a well-deserved point when Roisin Upton equalised with 10 minutes remaining.
A win over Italy on Friday should be enough for Ireland to finish fifth.
With Italy and Scotland drawing 1-1, it means that barring a huge win for Spain over the Scots in the final game, a victory over the Italians would be enough to clinch fifth place and equal their best ever finish at the Euros.
Ireland, ranked seven places in the world below Spain, started where they left off against Germany by playing some confident hockey, knocking the ball around and dominating possession with Sarah Hawkshaw and Charlotte Beggs controlling the midfield.
They got their due reward with the opening goal just before the end of the first period. From a penalty corner the ball was switched to Caoimhe Perdue, and her shot was deflected into the Spanish net by McAuley.
Ireland continued to play well in the second quarter but with only a goal lead they almost gifted Spain the equaliser with an individual error, but Ayeisha McFerran made a big save from Patricia Alvarez.
Almost immediately Ireland broke the other way and Katie Mullan's pass saw Naomi Carroll fling herself at full stretch to deflect the ball towards goal and only a superb stop from Maria Ruiz denied Ireland a second goal.
The Spanish penalty corner routine turned the game on its head in the third quarter as Ireland lost their way. Two well worked routines were finished off by Candela Mejias and Belen Iglesias to give Spain the lead.
Ireland regrouped at the end of the quarter and came out playing better and eventually their pressure told. A typical rampaging run by Mullan was stopped in its tracks and a penalty corner awarded - Upton stepped up to convert and earn a valuable draw.