Watkins and Mullan do the damage for Ireland

Ireland’s Champions Challenge I campaign is up and running but not without some controversy as Belfield witnessed plenty of drama yesterday.

It’s the young guns that have been doing the business in terms of goals, with Chloe Watkins’ stinging reverse-stick strike proving decisive as Denis Pritchard’s girls stunned world number 10 South Africa 1-0 on Saturday. Ireland then spent long periods and 10 fruitless penalty corners in search of an equaliser to Catriona Ralph’s opener against bogey side Scotland, having gone behind to a scrappy Catriona Ralph goal on the stroke of half-time. Teenager Katie Mullan eventually finding a way through, emulating Watkins with a crashing reverse to level it with nine minutes to go. A dramatic closing few minutes saw Irish captain Alex Speers red-carded — adding to earlier green and yellows to give her the full set — and Scotland dubiously awarded their ninth corner on the hooter. The girls in green weathered that storm but the tie ended with both coaches remonstrating with each other and the umpires until tempers cooled. Ireland take on the USA next tomorrow before the classification games begin on Thursday. UCC’s Miriam Crowley reached the 50-cap milestone against South Africa, a game in which Michelle Harvey notched her 100th cap.

Electric Ireland FIH Champions Challenge I, UCD Pool A: Australia 4 (J Schultz, C Eastham, A Flanagan, M Blyth) Belgium 1 (S de Groof); India 3 (R Rani, L Chanu Mayengbam, S Yendala) Wales 0; Belgium 4 (S De Groof 2, J Boon, own goal) Wales 2 (P Richards 2); India 1 (R Rani) Australia 8 (M Blyth 2, C Eastham, J Schultz 2 C Messent, E Hurtz, AN Other). Standings: 1. Australia 6pts (+10) 2. Belgium 3pts (-1) 3. India 3pts (-4) 2. Wales 0pts (-5) Pool B: Ireland 1 (C Watkins) South Africa 0; Scotland 1 (S Robertson) USA 0; Ireland 1 (K Mullan) Scotland 1 (C Ralph); USA 4 (K O’Donnell 2, T Albini, S Taylor) South Africa 2 (N Terblanche, I Lategan) Standings: 1= Ireland 4pts (+1) 1= Scotland 4pts (+1) 3. USA 3pts (+1) 4. South Africa 0pts (-3)