HOCKEY/KT Cup: Thirty-two minutes into their opening game of the KT Cup in Seoul, Ireland found themselves 4-0 down against Korea, the seventh-ranked team in the world and, with the temperatures pushing 32 degrees and humidity at 80 per cent, appeared to be heading for the mother of all drubbings.
That they outscored the hosts 3-2 in the second half, finally losing the game 6-3, says something of the levels of fitness the squad has acquired as they build towards hosting the European Championships in Dublin in August.
The game proved to be something of a personal triumph for Eimear Cregan, the 23-year-old from Castletroy in Limerick, who scored a second-half hat-trick. Cregan has won honours in camogie, golf and gymnastics, but scoring three goals against this class of opposition, on live television, and in front of a big home crowd, will surely rank up there with her happiest of sporting days.
A goal down after three minutes, from a clinically worked Korean short corner, Ireland caved in under the pressure by half-time, conceding again in the eighth, 20th and 32nd minutes.
The revival began, though, five minutes after the break when Cregan, winning her 55th cap, was first to the rebound after Jenny McDonough's shot was saved. And five minutes later Cregan scored her second, this time a solo effort that saw her round two defenders before firing past the goalkeeper.
Korea woke from their slumber to make it 5-2 on 50 minutes but, again, Cregan replied, completing her hat-trick from a short corner. By then Nikki Symmons had hit the post from another set-piece but Korea were the last to score, making it 6-3 on the final hooter from a corner.
Pembroke Wanderers goalkeeper Mary Goode, who started the second half, and Randalstown's Clare Parkhill won their first senior caps when they came on as substitutes. The short corner count - eight to six in Korea's favour - was an indication of how, once they recovered from a torrid opening, Ireland fought their way into the game, their first competitive match in a year.
Next up are China, ranked fourth in the world, who drew 0-0 with England in their opening game.
IRELAND: A Platt, L Caulfield, C O'Brien, F Connery, B McKeever, E Cregan, C Carey, J Orbinson, J McDonough, J Burke, L McVicker. Subs: D Casey, C Parkhill, N Symmons, M Goode, S Beaney.
KT CUP (at Seoul, Korea): Yesterday: Ireland 3 (E Cregan 3), Korea 6; England 0, China 0; India 7, Malaysia 2. Today (local times): Ireland v China, 2.30. Sunday: Ireland v England, 10.30. Monday: Ireland v India, 11.30. Wednesday: Ireland v Malaysia, 11.0. Thursday: play-offs for final placings.
