| # | Info | Date | Teams | Score | Status | Match Sheet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 4th, 2012 | ||||||
| 15 | Quarterfinal | 6:00pm |
|
1 - 2 (0 - 0) AET | Final | |
Audrey O’Flynn’s final hooter penalty corner saw the Irish home crowd explode as they claimed the laurels from a frenetic, extra-time quarter-final tussle to edge out Belgium. It earns the Irish a final four date with USA while the Belgians fall into the 5th to 8th playoffs where they will play Wales on Saturday.
It earned a small amount of payback for Ireland at the hands of the side that ended their Olympic dream back in March though they rode their luck at times. Belgium twice had clear openings in the first half as Erica Coppey and Alix Gerniers raised close-range efforts over the bar as they looked the more threatening side in the first half.
But Ireland took the lead from their first shot in anger in the 50th minute when Michelle Harvey’s drag-flick ballooned up off the first runner and over Aisling D’Hooghe. It fell perfectly for Aine Connery to tap in from the right post. Both Louise Cavenaile and O’Flynn spent time in the sin-bin during a hectic closing phase before Belgium brought the game to extra-time via Anouk Raes’ tidy penalty corner goal seven minutes from time.
And Jill Boon went centimetres from ending the tie a minute into golden goal as her clip shot hit the inside of the post. In response, Alex Speers missed a seemingly open goal on the stroke of half-time of the extra periods. But Emma Smyth earned a corner on the final whistle and, at the second attempt, O’Flynn picked out the bottom corner for the victory.
| Live Blogging | |
|---|---|
| October 04th, 2012 at 12:01 pm | Ireland and Belgium just about to be presented to the crowd; umpires are Hannah Sanders (ENG) and Lesley Pieterse (RSA) |
| October 04th, 2012 at 12:15 pm | Belgium create the first big chance, Coppey lifting it over the bar, BEL 0 IRL 0, 10mins |
| October 04th, 2012 at 12:20 pm | Belgium playing a counter style, sitting deep but looking the more dangerous, BEL 0 IRL 0, 15mins |
| October 04th, 2012 at 12:34 pm | Ireland holding more possession but Belgium's counters looking the more dangerous, BEL 0 IRL 0, 28mins |
| October 04th, 2012 at 12:43 pm | Half-time: Belgium 0 Ireland 0, Belgium with the better of the chances but no goals means its still all to play for |
| October 04th, 2012 at 1:03 pm | Leclef's sharp run wins pc2 for Belgium, three shots are well shut down by the defense and its stays 0-0, 46mins |
| October 04th, 2012 at 1:07 pm | GOAL - Harvey's drag balloons up over the goalkeeper and into path of Aine Connery who guides home, IRL 1 BEL 0, 50mins |
| October 04th, 2012 at 1:14 pm | Cavenaile and O'Flynn both get yellows to reduce the sides to ten each, BEL 0 IRL 1, 56mins |
| October 04th, 2012 at 1:21 pm | Raes finishes off with a smart corner move, drifting right and hitting over Gray's stick side, BEL 1 IRL 1, 63mins |
| October 04th, 2012 at 1:30 pm | Full-time: Belgium 1 (Raes) Ireland 1 (Connery) - we're going to extra-time for the second time today! |
| October 04th, 2012 at 1:36 pm | Boon hits the inside of the post with a great chance, Mullan blazes wide at the far end; 3mins ET, BEL 1 IRL 1 |
| October 04th, 2012 at 1:44 pm | Ireland miss a golden chance to win it, Speers missing out on an open goal, half-time, extra-time BEL 1 IRL 1 |
| October 04th, 2012 at 1:55 pm | Ireland win it on the final hooter, O'Flynn drags home on the second pc at the death, IRL 2 BEL 1 |
| October 04th, 2012 at 1:56 pm | Ireland go on to face USA in the semi-finals on Saturday at 5.30pm; Belgium will now play Wales in 5th-8th playoff |