Pinder and McFerran to the fore as Ireland book their final spot
WITH each passing victory here, as this Ireland team began to reach for the improbable, their coach Graham Shaw has been shaking his head in joyous disbelief behind the scenes.
After nervously seeing his Ireland side through to the Women’s World Cup final yesterday, he suddenly realised upon another wish.
‘I’ve been asking the Dutch for a bloody game for three years, so they don’t have a choice now,’ he boomed defiantly.
Ireland, this group of cohesive amateur players, have reached today’s showpiece denouement after another edge-of-your-seat hockey shoot-out.
As the players rushed towards match-winner Gillian Pinder and goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran to celebrate this most unlikely of sporting runs to a major final, the test will now come in their recovery ahead of today’s finale, but they will be brimming with confidence.
Meanwhile, the Netherlands’ video analysts will have had little rest this morning as they frantically search for material on their unlikely opponents in a bid to keep up their brand of ‘total hockey’. The Dutch will be searching for an eighth world title in 14 editions.
Shaw said his team woke up yesterday believing a win was within their grasp in normal time. And by the way they cut open Spain – their fellow amateur rivals – the Green Army were up for the fight as early as the third minute.
As penalty corner routines go, it was as simple as they come. Injected to Shirley McCay at the top of the circle, Ireland’s most experienced player couldn’t have slotted an easier central pass to Anna O’Flanagan, who deflected through the legs of Maria Ruiz.
If the goal was routine enough, her strike is subject to conjecture in Irish hockey history books. O’Flanagan’s goal was said to match Lynsey McVicker’s Irish record of 65, though the former international believes it to be 69. One for next week, perhaps, unless O’Flanagan achieves the unthinkable today.
Blown away 7-2 in last summer’s EuroHockey Championships by Spain, Shaw’s side were now out to make amends.
Belief surged through the side. Playing an expansive game, Spain were being caught on the hop. But as half-time loomed, the Spanish began to make hay down the flanks.
Their circle penetration was hurting Ireland without making it count. That soon turned when a bouncing pass found unmarked Alicia Magaz, the 24-year-old medical student’s shot rifling to the backboard.
Ireland’s chances continued and they landed a late penalty corner, their fifth. Zoe Wilson’s shot was then smothered by Ruiz as the Olympic Park fell briefly silent.
It proved to be the last meaningful attack before McFerran’s heroics and Pinder’s composed mind.
Now for the Dutch. The world No16 side against the world’s No1 team. The passing exuberance of Holland’s outstanding production line of stick talent, against the cohesive unit of Ireland, whose team mantra is ‘no excuses’.
Yet the Dutch were handed a ‘wake up call’ yesterday, as their captain Carlien Dirkse van den Heuvel put it, after edging past Australia in their semi-final shootout. But Dirkse van den Heuvel remained largely unfazed. She recorded her 200th cap last week and has experienced just 13 defeats. That is one of many hurdles facing Ireland today.