Tuesday, June 23 – Berlin, Germany: The Ireland Women’s Hockey Team suffered a 2-0 defeat to Germany in their first of four matches in Berlin in their final FIH Hockey Pro League stage. After a huge defensive effort and standout performance from Ayeisha McFerran in the Irish net, Germany eventually broke the deadlock with less than ten minutes to play, before securing the win with a second in the closing minutes.
The first of four crucial games in Berlin for the Ireland Women’s Hockey Team began in front of a home crowd at the Ernst-Reuter Sportfeld in Berlin, Germany as Ireland went in search of crucial points in their bid for FIH Hockey Pro League survival. Ireland got the game underway, threw a long aerial deep into German territory which ended in a chance for Sarah Torrans, forcing Germany into early defensive action.
Germany settled after the early pressure, eventually winning the first penalty corner of the tie after five minutes, Ayeisha McFerran doing well to make a save from the first effort, followed by some excellent defending from Hannah McLoughlin to keep the game scoreless.
A late chance for Germany called McFerran into action once again, but the Larne native did enough to put off her German counterpart as the chance went wide of the post.
Germany remained the team largely in control as the game progressed into quarter 2 as they kept Ireland pinned back and limited Ireland’s ability to break the lines. Elena Neill was called into action early in the period to make a huge last-ditched tackle to deny Germany, as she announced her return to the squad after the arrival of her first child in January.
Ireland continued to have to defend, as Germany squandered a golden opportunity to go ahead, as they put a close-range effort on goal wide of the post with the goal gaping. A barrage of penalty corners followed with four minutes remaining in the half, but Ireland were equal to all five attempts at goal to stay level.
With less than thirty seconds remaining, Germany won yet another penalty corner. Germany worked the ball to the baseline, across the face of goal and then flicked at net, but McFerran scrambled to pull off a world-class save as the sides went into half-time on level terms.
The intensity of the opening first half carried into the second, this time Ireland enjoying more of the ball, but largely in their own half. An eventual venture into German territory saw an inviting ball played into the circle where Emily Kealy reacted quickest to get a touch on the delivery to divert it onto a German foot and earn Ireland a penalty corner. Caoimhe Perdue flicked at goal where Niamh Carey was rushing in, in search of a deflection, but Nathalie Kubalski made the save.
A green card for Germany provided Ireland an early player advantage in the final quarter after Sarah Hawkshaw drew a heavy challenge in the German half. The extra player allowed Ireland two breaks into the German penalty circle, but the home side cleared their lines on both occasions.
Germany went up the other end, securing yet another penalty corner. This time they opted for a variation, delivering the ball back to the injector, Lynn Krings, on the near post to slap in and break the deadlock.
Ireland though were not down and out, as Niamh Carey connected with Aisling Utri with five minutes remaining. Utri did well under pressure to find an inroad into the German circle and pull the ball onto a foot for a penalty corner. Ireland’s first effort was mis-controlled, but Hannah McLoughlin did well to win a second penalty corner, from which she slapped at goal but it hit a German foot for a third PC. Caoimhe Perdue was the next to flick at goal where Niamh Carey was once again running in for a deflection, but her touch couldn’t take the ball past Kubalski.
As a last roll of the dice, Ireland withdrew McFerran in place of an extra outfield player, but with two minutes to play Germany broke throwing a long aerial ball to Sara Strauss who found herself in acres of space behind the Irish defensive line, allowing her to tap into an open net to seal the win for her side.
Ireland will return to action in their FIH Hockey Pro League campaign in Germany tomorrow, June 24 at 16:30 Irish Time as they take on China.
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