FIH Pro League: Australia 0 Ireland 0 [Australia won bonus-point shoot-out 4-2]
Ireland produced one of their finer results in competitive hockey when they drew 0-0 with hosts Australia in Hobart on Thursday in the FIH Pro League. They missed out on a bonus point when they lost the resulting shoot-out, but they now have three points from their first six games against higher-ranked opposition in their tournament debut.
It was far from a rearguard effort by Ireland who were the more threatening side for much of the game, with the Carey twins, Niamh and Michelle, and Mikayla Power causing Australia – ranked seven places higher than Ireland at six in the world list – plenty of bother.
Hannah McLoughlin came close to opening the scoring from the first penalty corner of the game, her effort drifting just wide, while Jessica McMaster came closer still when she almost turned home captain Sarah Hawkshaw’s free. McLoughlin and Hawkshaw were both also denied by the Australian goalkeeper, with Ireland keeping the pressure on throughout.
But they were indebted too to some fine goalkeeping from Elizabeth Murphy, who made a smart double-save in the third quarter and another in the dying seconds when they were down to 10 players after Ellen Curran was yellow-carded.
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McLoughlin and McMaster both converted their shoot-out efforts, but Australia won out 4-2 to take the bonus point. Ireland are back in action again on Friday when they play an Argentina side that beat them 5-0 earlier in the week.
