Ireland stay top after dogged draw with Wales

Ireland 1 Wales 1

It was a close run thing however, as it took a Stephen Butler penalty five minutes from the end to level the game after Ireland had gone behind on the stroke of half time to another penalty, scored by Wales’s Simon Organ.

Coach Dave Passmore was delighted that in a tight and often fractious affair, his side did not lose their composure.

“They never pressed the panic button and they kept to the game plan. That was not easy in the circumstances and the outcome of the group is in our own hands. We have to make sure we beat Russia in our next game to top the pool.

“Wales will always try to throw you out of your stride, but despite the fact we were a goal down from half time, they did not manage to do that and I think we got what we deserved out of the game,” he added.

His side remain top of the pool thanks to their superior goal difference. Ireland probably looked the more skilled of the two teams, but Wales displayed a doggedness which was to frustrate Passmore’s team and ultimately cause a certain amount of desperation as they vainly sought an equaliser.

Ireland were certainly the more threatening outfit in the first period and they also appeared more secure defensively. They managed to survive a sticky patch midway through the half when David Hobbs was yellow carded, leaving his side to cope with a complement of 10 men.

Even so, they looked the more likely to score and would have done so were it not for the inspired performance of George Harris in the Welsh goal.

He brilliantly saved two Stephen Butler attempts from short corners and then, just on half time Wales won a penalty corner and when the ball hit Mark Black’s foot on the line from Ruxton’s shot, the umpire had no hesitation in awarding a penalty stroke. Organ converted for Wales the lead.

This was now turning into a serious test of character of the Irish and as the second half progressed, they were frustrated time and again by the Welsh tenacity.

Harris was busy in the Welsh goal as both Justin Sherriff and Andy Barbour had efforts and eventually the pressure was rewarded with five minutes remaining.

Ireland got a short corner and worked a move to Graham Shaw at the far post and his shot hit a defender’s foot before ballooning over the bar. The umpires had to consult in the face of vociferous Welsh protests, but they awarded the penalty stroke which Butler converted. They now face Russia in their final pool game tomorrow with their fate in their own hands. The Russians lost 4-3 to Belarus earlier and are now pointless. But, as Passmore pointed out, potentially still dangerous.

Captain Paddy Brown said afterwards: “This was always going to be the crunch game in the pool and while we were confident going into the match, we’re not unhappy with a draw. We’re where we want to be in the table and that’s all that matters for now,” he said.

IRELAND: W. Bateman, P. Brown (C), J. Black, D. Smyth, K. Burns, S. Butler, M. Irwin, J. Sherriff, G. Shaw, A. Barbour, M. Black. Rolling subs: M. Raphael, D. Hobbs, M. Gleghorne. I. Lewers.

WALES: G. Harris, P. Edwards, R. Joyce, Z. Jones, G. Egan, O. Cooper, B. Rogers, A. Cornick, M. Ruxton, P. Swainson. Rolling Subs: D. Graham, S. Organ, L. el Khatib, A. Meredith.