Hockey: Scots beat Irish to take Celtic Cup for fifth year in a row

A STRIKE from Grove Menzieshill's Nikki Kidd proved sufficient to give Scotland the Celtic Cup for the fifth consecutive time with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Ireland in the final game at Inverclyde yesterday.

The Scots only needed to avoid defeat to take the trophy. On Friday evening the Scots had beaten Wales 6-0 while, on Saturday, the Irish recorded a five-goal win over the Welsh, so the home side had a slight advantage on goal difference.

The match was coach Gordon Shepherd's last game before the Champions Challenge in Dublin later this month and, although Ireland are not in Scotland's pool, the two sides could meet again in the later cross-over matches to decide final placings.

Before the start of hostilities, Grove Menzieshill's Louise Baxter led the team on to the field to mark the occasion of her 100th outing in Scotland colours.

The Irish were perhaps the more lively outfit in the opening encounters, and were awarded the only penalty corner of the half in ten minutes but the shot was easily dealt with by Scotland keeper Abi Walker.

Thereafter the contest descended into a bit of a stalemate between two sides that know each other so well.

There were isolated flurries into both circles but neither set of forwards was able to put a stick on the ball to create a scoring opportunity.

With defences in control, it was hardly surprising the teams turned around goal-less at the interval.

The game became even scrappier in the second half but, in 55 minutes, the Scots had a real piece of luck when an Irish penalty corner was well saved by the diving Walker and at shot on the rebound cannoned off a post. Six minutes later the Scots finally broke the deadlock when, at their first set piece Nikki Kidd found the target with a powerful low drag flick.

The goal suddenly opened the contest into an end-to-end affair and a move involving Ali Bell and Sam Judge passed the ball on to captain Linda Clement whose shot went narrowly wide.

Then Judge's own shot at Scotland's second set piece brought the best out of the Irish keeper.

In the closing minutes the Irish desperately pressed for the equaliser and Walker in the Scotland goal was called upon to put up the shutters. Her final effort came when the Irish were awarded a penalty corner in overtime but the Canterbury keeper saved comfortably to help retain the Celtic Cup in front of the home crowd.