Playing against England in a meaningful full international is always special. Beating them in a penalty shoot-out in Dublin is doubly so, and that is what a sold-out 1,500 crowd got to experience at the Sport Ireland Campus yesterday as the Irish Hockey Women’s team shone through the rain.
Ireland were dominant, going a goal up in the second quarter thanks to Sarah Torrans. But England pulled a goal back early in the second half, forcing a thrilling shootout.
Lizzy Murphy shrouded herself in glory, saving a penalty in regular time and then saving twice in the Shootout and then again once it went to sudden death after Hannah McLoughlin scored to secure Ireland two points, opening their FIH Hockey Pro League account in their debut season.
This was despite a nasty-looking injury earlier in the shoot-out, which she somehow played through, to glorious effect.
Hockey Ireland had earlier hosted a reception in the Campus Pavilion, attended by Minister of State for Sport Charlie McConalogue, senior management from EY now in their ninth year of partnership with the sport, Niamh Byrne, Chair of Hockey Ireland, Peter Sherrard, CEO of the Olympic Federation of Ireland, Lisa Clancy, President of Paralympics Ireland, Karen Coventry, CEO of Special Olympics Ireland and Paul McDermott, Director of High Performance at Sport Ireland and other leading figures from across the Irish sporting scene.
In a likely unique twist as well, three of the last four CEO’s of the sport, Mike Heskin, outgoing boss Anne McCormack and incoming CEO Richard Fahey, were also there to enjoy the occasion.
As we learned on the Sport for Business Daily Podcast with Nick McElwee earlier this week, this was an event turned around in only 10 weeks and which looked and felt great out at the Campus.
It deserves a Sustainable Sport award as well for switching a tournament involving teams from Ireland, England, Belgium and Germany to Dublin rather than Argentina, where it was originally scheduled.
There are two more sold out games for Ireland on Saturday and Sunday, both at 14:00 and if you can somehow find a ticket it is a great show.
Image Credit: Hockey Ireland
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