HOCKEY:IRELAND'S 4-4 draw with European Champions England yesterday ended their preparations for the World Cup Qualifying tournament in Quilmes, Argentina, which begins on November 14th.
Having shipped a 4-2 defeat in the first of the non-cap matches on Wednesday, Ireland can take some comfort from forcing a draw in the eight-goal game after a scoreless first half.
Pembroke’s Conor Harte dragged a corner for Ireland’s first goal to level the score at 1-1 before his club colleague, Alan Sothern, hit back for a second time for 2-2, again from a set-piece.
A third drag flick at a corner handed Sothern his second goal of the match as Ireland led 3-2 before England equalised in the 58th minute.
Ireland, however, netted their fourth goal seven minutes later, when Ulster’s Peter Caruth scored from play before England grabbed the equaliser in the dying minutes of the match.
Currently ranked 18th in the world, Ireland are in a group with ninth-ranked Belgium, 10th-ranked Argentina, USA ranked 19th, the Czech Republic ranked 25 and Chile 27th. Only the winner of the tournament will qualify for the World Cup finals. The national team has not qualified for a World Cup finals since Lahore back in 1990, when they were ranked at around 12 in the world.
That team subsequently produced three Ireland players, Billy McConnell, Stephen Martin and Jimmy Kirkwood, who went on to win Olympic gold and bronze medals with Britain.
Domestically, there are a number of well-matched contests taking place in Dublin.
Fingal travel across the Liffey to Rathdown, where they hope to take something away from Monkstown, while a promising YMCA side face the highly placed Three Rock Rovers in Alexandra College. UCD’s meeting with Clontarf in Belfield could decide which of those clubs struggle most this season to keep their heads above water.
Today:Munster Senior League: C of I v Bandon, Garryduff, 8pm
Tomorrow:Leinster Senior League: Division One – Monkstown v Fingal, Rathdown 1.30; UCD v Clontarf, Belfield, 1pm; YMCA v Three Rock Rovers, Alexandra College, 1.30 Munster Senior League: UCC v Cath. Inst, Mardyke, noon; C of I B v Harlequins A, Garryduff, 2.15. Ulster Senior League (all matches 2.30): Banbridge v Mossley, Havelock Park; Kilkeel v North Down, McAuley Park; Raphoe v Bangor, Royal and Prior; Lisnagarvey v Instonians, Comber Road; Cookstown v Annadale, Coolnafranky.
