Irish in fine fettle after stunning South Africa

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.

A day later, Ireland then spent long periods and 10 fruitless penalty corners in search of an equaliser to Catriona Ralph’s opener against bogey side Scotland, with teenager Katie Mullan eventually finding a way through.