PORTADOWN hotshot Evie Girvan top scored with seven goals for the tournament as the Ireland U18 Girls secured the EuroHockey U18 Championship II title in Glasgow, defeating hosts Scotland 3-1 in the final to earn promotion to Championship 1.
A penalty stroke from Portadown’s Rebekah Lennon and a double from Hollai Quinn secured the title with a fifth win from five games.
Taking that winning momentum and mentality into the final, the side settled quickly, earning two penalty corners which Scotland defended well. A penalty stroke only a couple of minutes later gave Ireland the opportunity to take the lead, with Rebekah Lennon stepping up to break the deadlock.
Scotland, however, had a response, drawing level from open play after 19 minutes. The two sides went into the half-time break locked at 1-1. The break gave Ireland time to regroup, with tactical changes paying dividends as Hollai Quinn restored Ireland’s lead with a clever finish on her reverse stick. Quinn got her second and put some light between Ireland and Scotland with a second goal just before the end of the third quarter.
Scotland continued to battle as they looked for a way back into the game, winning a number of penalty corners in the final quarter but Ireland defended their lead well to see out the game.
Earlier in the week, Evie Girvan hit the goal trail with a hat-trick in Ireland’s opening Pool game, an emphatic 9-0 win over Lithuania.
Isobel Field (2), Isla Allen, captain Scarlett Taylor, Darcy Shields and Eva Doyle were also on target.
The U18 Girls picked up their second pool stage win as they beat Austria 5-0 with Evie Girvan again opening the scoring.
In similar fashion to the game the day before, the third quarter was when Ireland hit their stride. A duo of penalty corners offered early chances which Austria dealt with well, but Hollai Quinn eventually got Ireland’s second of the game from open play four minutes into the second half.
The team didn’t have to wait long for a third and fourth goal, with Isobel Field again getting her name on the scoresheet, followed by Amelia Ryan’s finish from a penalty corner. A fifth and final goal came courtesy of Portadown’s Katie Herron, whose goal came in the final minutes of the match.
The U18 Girls continued their winning form in their third and final pool stage match, beating Turkey 6-2 in Glasgow. Evie Girvan once again opened the scoring for Ireland, converting a penalty corner after 10 minutes, with Darcy Shields doubling Ireland’s lead from open play just before the end of the first quarter.
Ireland’s dominance continued into quarter 2, with Erin Pim, of Pegasus, and Scarlett Taylor scoring in quick succession to extend the lead to four and put Ireland firmly in the driving seat.
After a scoreless third quarter where Ireland won nine penalty corners, Evie Girvan grabbed her second of the game and sixth of the tournament. Turkey grabbed a goal back from a penalty corner soon after, but Isobel Field restored the five-goal lead. Turkey continued to fight, netting again from a penalty corner to conclude the scoring at 6-2.
In their semi-final against Czechia, Ireland made a perfect start to the game, launching an attack almost straight from the off that ended in a penalty corner. After several rewards, Scarlett Taylor stepped up to send a sweet strike into the back of the net to give Ireland the lead.
After a scoreless second quarter, Czechia drew level just three minutes into the second half.
Ireland continued to ask the questions, producing plenty of chances in the third quarter and early in the fourth but couldn’t find the net until Isla Allen took her chance from a penalty corner excellently to regain the lead. Evie Girvan sealed the win from Ireland a minute later from pen play, grabbing her seventh of the tournament.
Rebekah Lennon
Portadown medal winning contingent… Evie Girvan, Rebekah Lennon, Ruby Currie and Katie Herron
