Promotion pools await Irish U21 sides

HOCKEY: Ireland’s U21 sides are both safely through to the promotion pool of the EuroHockey Junior Championships II, but not without a couple of scares.

Dave Passmore's women advanced on goal difference thanks to a 3-3 draw with Scotland in Vienna. They twice came from a goal down to level, through Limerick woman Roisin Upton and Emily Beatty, after Zoe Wilson had given them an early lead.

The men were surprisingly held to a 1-1 draw by hosts Portugal in Lousada, and as a result will take just a single point into the promotion pool. Portugal survived 29 minutes’ worth of suspensions and levelled late on after Cork C of I hitman Simon Wolfe had put Ireland ahead in the first half.