WOMEN'S HOCKEY:IRELAND SUFFERED their second defeat in three days to Belgium yesterday, the hosts following up Friday's 3-0 win with a 2-1 victory in Nivelles, the deciding goal coming in the last minute.
Michelle Harvey had opened the scoring on 12 minutes from the first short corner of the game, the Pegasus player converting with a drag flick. Several missed opportunities, prevented them from stretching their lead, and they were made to pay for wastefulness.
Belgium’s equaliser came midway through the second half and when Ireland pressed for the winner in the closing stages they were caught on the break, the final attack of the game producing the Belgians’ second goal.
“It is a disappointing result for an improved performance,” said coach Gene Muller. “We created goal chances which should have put the game out of reach by half-time. Instead of a buffer of a few goals we ended up losing with only a minute left on the clock.”
In Eimear Cregan’s absence Bridget Cleland captained Ireland.
Institute, without Cregan, advanced to the semi-finals of the Irish Hockey Trophy on Saturday with a golden goal victory over Knock. They will meet Portadown in the last four, with Galway drawn against the winners of the tie between Wexford and Greenfields.
Meanwhile, a week after losing to Hermes in both the Leinster League and Leinster Senior Cup Railway Union got the better of their rivals in the National Indoor Trophy in Tallaght yesterday, beating them 7-4 in the final. Kate Dillon was the star of the show for Railway, scored five of Railway’s goals, with Hermes’ Jenny Burke getting a hat-trick.
