GREEN ARMY ROARING ON
Watkins nets all-important penalty
THERE is a cocktail in a Dublin bar — Cosmo Chloe — named after Chloe Watkins and last night she sent Irish hockey into near orbit as they reached the World Cup semi-finals.
No one will care one jot how Ireland marched to within one match of an incredible World Cup final here, the Green Army defeating India to face Spain tomorrow for a place in Sunday’s showpiece.
For the record, and after a cagey and scoreless 60 minutes, the denouement produced a dramatic 3-1 win in the shoot-out. Goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran again stood up to the test, blocking out three Indian attempts from the 23-metre line amid dramatic silence.
And after Roisin Upton and Ali Meeke — with an outrageous bit of stick skill to trick Indian goalkeeper Savita — slotted home, it was left to Watkins to seal victory with an easy tap home.
‘I was relatively calm as Ayeisha had taken the pressure away from me,’ said Watkins, an eight-year Irish veteran. ‘She had done her job, as had the girls. I just saw it as exciting and an opportunity to get to the semi-finals.
‘This has been years and years in the making. It’s so great to get the rewards on the world stage and show people what we can do.’
Watkins and her team-mates raced over to McFerran on realising victory, but the midfielder won’t be toasting their success with a cocktail quite yet.
‘That’s crazy,’ she said, ‘I just hope I get to try it soon enough with a medal round my neck. But when you get an opportunity like this, you have to grab it with both hands. We’ve been coming out with smiles on our faces but if anybody was to underestimate us, they would be foolish.’
This was a historic quarter-final which ultimately lacked flair, vigour and creativity; a match which saw one meaningful shot on target in normal time, negotiated with ease by McFerran.
The unusual structure of this World Cup meant that teams could meet each other in the early knockout stages after playing only days before. And so it proved as India sought revenge for their 1-0 Pool stage defeat, which saw Ireland qualify automatically.
Both these two unheralded teams were also seeking more history. The Green Army had already exceeded their target, while India’s last quarter-final came 40 years ago.
But still, no Irish connection dared think of a semi-final berth, less those hockey aficionados back home balking at Bank Holiday flight prices to London.
Ireland didn’t balk at India’s muscling start. Upton was caught flush in the foot early on, while indiscipline cost India’s Neha Goyal a two-minute sin-bin.
Ireland slowly found some rhythm. Katie Mullan’s deft pass connected with Anna O’Flanagan before colliding with Savita for their only chance.
Ireland’s star player Megan Frazer, still finding her feet after months out injured, then produced a crunching tackle late in the half. It set Ireland up for an early assault in the third quarter. Playing a half-court press, two crash balls into the circle couldn’t find a vital deflection.
And with only one goal from the two previous quarter-final matches, the tie was poised for an inevitable shoot-out.
Still, a frenetic last 10 minutes ensued, with loose passes and tired minds, while Ireland’s rolling subs nursed iced towels over their heads.
Then came McFerran’s theatrics, making the Indians wilt with their decision-making and allowing only Rena Khokhar to score within the eight seconds allowed.
She admitted: ‘I wanted to take my time. It was about keeping my heart-rate down and I like to eye up my opposition to memorise what they may or may not do. I like to play games.’
Spain now lie in wait. McFerran took a deep breath and said: ‘You couldn’t dream it. It’s going to be a tough one. We’re both going to be riled up for it.’
IRELAND coach Graham Shaw hailed an ‘incredible group of people’ after his team reached the semi-finals of the Hockey World Cup for the first time. Their 3-1 shootout success over India means they will face Spain tomorrow with a place in Sunday’s final up for grabs. ‘I’m just so proud. To come in here as the second lowest ranked team and now we’re in the top four, it’s a dream come true,’ Shaw said. Chloe Watkins converted the decisive penalty after goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran kept out three of India’s attempts.