Ireland’s World Cup qualification dreams were all but dashed as they were undone by a goal that shouldn’t have stood in a 1-0 defeat to Spain in Rotterdam yesterday.
Needing victory to guarantee a place in the 5th/6th playoff at the World League semi-finals — and a decent shot at a World Cup berth — Ireland tightened up significantly at the back while David Harte put in another incredible performance between the sticks.
But they were undone by a controversial goal by Spain’s Roger Padros 15 minutes from time. He crashed in a rebound after Harte had saved brilliantly from Xavi Lleonart. The ball had initially struck David Alegre on the foot and Ireland brayed for a video referral to get the goal chalked off in favour of a free out, but umpire Fernando Gomez waved away their appeals, insisting they had took too long to ask.
The green machine hadn’t created too much until then but suddenly they sparked into life in search of an equaliser. Shane O’Donoghue failed to control Peter Caruth’s pass with an open net at his mercy while a diving Kyle Good was inches away from getting a scoring touch to Timmy Cockram’s controlled cross.
Ireland also won a last-play short corner and moved the ball to injector Chris Cargo, but his pass back across goal missed everyone, leaving Irish players distraught. Those involved in the March 2012 Olympic qualifier near miss
Spain – who like Ireland, were without some star performers in Pol Amat and Santi Frexia – had the best of a cagey first half with Alex Casayasas by far the biggest threat on either side, but Harte was equal to everything they threw at him and Good charged down the sole Spanish corner of the game.
Ireland’s best chance before their late flurry came from corners, but post-man Bosco Perez-Pla kept his eye on Conor Harte’s drag-flick bound for the sideboard and calmly turned it around the post while Shane O’Donoghue dragged a slightly mistrapped second set-piece wide.
Andrew Meredith’s side have one game left tonight when they meet France; victory will confirm seventh place — their pre-tournament seeding — but the only avenue left to get to next summer’s World Cup is an extremely unlikely overall victory at August’s European championships.
But they were undone by a controversial goal by Spain’s Roger Padros 15 minutes from time. He crashed in a rebound after Harte had saved brilliantly from Xavi Lleonart. The ball had initially struck David Alegre on the foot and Ireland brayed for a video referral to get the goal chalked off in favour of a free out, but umpire Fernando Gomez waved away their appeals, insisting they had took too long to ask.
The green machine hadn’t created too much until then but suddenly they sparked into life in search of an equaliser. Shane O’Donoghue failed to control Peter Caruth’s pass with an open net at his mercy while a diving Kyle Good was inches away from getting a scoring touch to Timmy Cockram’s controlled cross.
Ireland also won a last-play short corner and moved the ball to injector Chris Cargo, but his pass back across goal missed everyone, leaving Irish players distraught. Those involved in the March 2012 Olympic qualifier near miss
Spain – who like Ireland, were without some star performers in Pol Amat and Santi Frexia – had the best of a cagey first half with Alex Casayasas by far the biggest threat on either side, but Harte was equal to everything they threw at him and Good charged down the sole Spanish corner of the game.
Ireland’s best chance before their late flurry came from corners, but post-man Bosco Perez-Pla kept his eye on Conor Harte’s drag-flick bound for the sideboard and calmly turned it around the post while Shane O’Donoghue dragged a slightly mistrapped second set-piece wide.
Andrew Meredith’s side have one game left tonight when they meet France; victory will confirm seventh place — their pre-tournament seeding — but the only avenue left to get to next summer’s World Cup is an extremely unlikely overall victory at August’s European championships.