Limerick's Róisín Upton nets twice as Ireland see off Poland in Women’s EuroHockey qualifier

LIMERICK'S Róisín Upton netted twice as Ireland recorded an impressive 3-0 win over Poland in their Women’s EuroHockey Championship Qualifier at the Sport Ireland Campus on Thursday evening.

Deirdre Duke opened the scoring in the second quarter for Ireland with a deft touch to Katie Mullan’s cross before Upton added her 22nd and 23rd international goals to put the result beyond doubt.

95-time capped Upton, who is Ireland vice-captain, and her Catholic Institute clubmate Naomi Carroll, who has won 127 caps to date for her country, are key members of the Ireland squad competing at the Sport Ireland Campus.

Ireland also take on Czech Republic and Turkey in the coming days with just one qualifying place up for grabs for the finals, which will be held in Germany in August 2023.

The Ireland side face the Czech Republic on Saturday at 1pm in their second fixture of the tournament at the Sport Ireland Campus before completing the competition on Sunday against Turkey, also 1pm.

Ireland sit on top of the group after day one following a 1-1 draw between Turkey and Czech Republic, putting them in pole position for the one ticket to next summer’s European Championships, a key waypoint on the road to Paris 2024.

“It was always going to be a really tough game because we know the importance of these games and that brings a bit of stress. To get the result is really positive,” said coach Sean Dancer.

The home side went in front after 19th minutes when Duke got the deftest of touches from a move set in motion by Caoimhe Perdue and crossed by Mullan.

Upton then slung home a powerful drag-flick from the Green Army’s second corner of the game to give extra daylight. Poland, though, fought back in the second half and had a couple of key chances which Ayeisha McFerran dealt with confidently.

Ireland missed out on two glorious chances to make the game extra safe with both Ellen Curran and Mullan denied at point-blank range by sub goalkeeper Anna Gabara.

It left some tension in the contest until Upton repeated the feat in the closing minutes with another low bullet for 3-0.

Ireland: A McFerran, S McAuley, M Carey, R Upton, S Hawkshaw, K Mullan, H McLoughlin, L Tice, N Carroll, C Perdue, D Duke Subs: N Carey, S Torrans, C Beggs, K McKee, C Hamill.

Poland: M Kucharska, M Drozda, A Katerla, J Balcerzak, M Rybacha, M Polewczak, S Tatarczuk, W Blaszyk, B Strubbe, N Suszynska, D Mazur. Subs: M Czujewicz, A Szot, D Skoraszewska, K Diurczak, M Pabiniak, P Slawinska.