Lena’s Olympic dream comes true
FOR the first time ever, the Irish women’s hockey team will compete at the Olympic Games, after qualifying for Tokyo 2020 by way of a dramatic penalty shoot-out against Canada on Sunday night last.
Lena Tice, who grew up in Glenealy, starred as an Ireland team, buoyed by the heroics of goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran, came out on top in dramatic sudden death in the shoot-out 4-3 in Energia Park, having looked doomed to failure at 3-1 down in penalties.
Despite being favourites against a Canadian team ranked seven places below Ireland in the world rankings, Tice and co. came up against a resilient outfit, with whom they had drawn 0-0 in the first-leg of their qualifier on Saturday.
That blank score-line would repeat itself on Sunday, and after eight quarters of tense hockey over two nights, the two teams were on a collision course for penalties.
Steph Norlander opened the scoring for Canada, only for Gill Pinder to fail to convert for Ireland. After Amanda Woodcroft and Nicci Daly traded scores, Sara McManus netted for the visitors and, with Roisin Upton taking longer than the allowed eight seconds to get a shot away, Ireland were staring down the barrel of a 3-1 loss.
Ireland, who had come close to Olympic qualification in the past, would not be denied, and channelled the spirit that saw them reach the World Cup final last year to turn the game around.
Beth Barr and Chloe Watkins drew them level in the shoot-out, while McFerran heroically denied the last two Canadian penalties.
Roisin Upton recovered from her earlier error to squeeze the ball home from a tight angle in sudden death, leaving McFerrin complete the comeback by putting off Woodcroft’s final effort.
One short video referral later, and history was made. Lena Tice and Ireland are heading to Tokyo.