Lots of grit in Dublin, but no place in the final

FIH CHAMPIONS CHALLENGE – QUARTER-FINAL

SCOTLAND  0   AUSTRALIA 2

Gordon Shepherd`s charges may have lost their unbeaten
record in the FIH Champions Challenge and missed out on a place in
the final after losing 2-0 to favourites Australia, but there can
be no doubting the courage and determination the players put into
today`s contest in Dublin.

Shepherd, without five of his regular players, stated before the
start of the tournament that a top six place was his target, that
has been surpassed as his side are in the top four and a medal is
still in the offing.    They will play either hosts
Ireland or the United States tomorrow to try to emulate last year`s
bronze medal.

The scale of the mountain facing Shepherd`s squad playing
Australia is for all to see – the Aussies finished fifth in the
recent London Olympics and are currently seventh in the world
rankings – fully 12 places above the Scots.

They were all heroines, but special mention must be made of Amy
Gibson in the Scotland goal, a string of fantastic saves frustrated
the highly-rated Wallabies for most of the match.

Although Australia had most of the possession in the first half,
the fact that the interval was reached goalless was due to the
resolution of the Scottish defence which limited the favourites to
only a few clear-cut chances, and no penalty corners.  The
Scots were restricted to isolated counter-attacks at the other end
when the Aussies were troubled by the pace of Ali Bell and Ailsa
Wyllie.    A couple of sin-bin visits did not help
the cause, Susan McGilveray (green) and Catriona Ralph with a very
unlucky yellow just before the interval.

Whatever their coach had to say at half-time, the Australians
stepped it up after the break and won their first penalty corner of
the match, but Gibson dived full length to produce a brilliant
stick save.     Pads, stick and even the helmet
were employed by Gibson to deny the favourites as they pressed for
the opener which included another two set pieces.

The Scots defence finally succumbed at the fourth Wallaby
penalty corner, Jodie Schulz fired a low drag flick that gave
Gibson no chance.  The second followed in only four minutes,
this time Anna Flanagan sent a rocket into the roof of the net at
the next set piece.

Australia pressed for the killer third goal but were denied by a
fantastic triple save by Gibson.   Shepherd`s charges
mounted a late rally, Nikki Lloyd dispossessed an Australian
defender, passed the ball on to Sam Judge but her shot was
comfortably saved by the Aussie keeper.

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