Belgian revenge tastes sweet for Ireland

Ireland’s women exacted some sweet revenge over Belgium by defeating them 2-1 with a golden goal to advance to the final four of the Champions Challenge I in Dublin last night.

Belgium eased past the Irish 4-1 in March’s Olympic qualifier final to get to London 2012 at the expense of the girls in green. But Aine Connery guided the ball home after Michelle Harvey’s drag-flick had ballooned up off a defensive stick for the lead goal on 50 minutes this time around, coming off Ireland’s only short corner in normal time. Anouk Raes flipped a shot over Emma Gray off a corner with seven minutes to go to tie it up, and extra-time prompted some frantic hockey, with Irish skipper Alex Speers fluffing an open goal chance while the visitors’ Jill Boon dinged the post. The winner came with the game’s final act in the last minute of extra-time, Audrey O’Flynn dragging home a sensational winner to send Ireland into a semi-final with USA, who defeated the Irish 3-1 in the group stage, tomorrow at 5.30pm. Electric Ireland FIH Women’s Champions Challenge I, UCD Quarter-finals: Ireland 2 (A Connery, A O’Flynn) Belgium 1 (A Reas) (aet, golden goal); Scotland 1 India 1 (aet, Scotland win 3-1 on penalties); USA 7 Wales 2; Australia 2 South Africa 1.