Hockey: Scots women are clear outsiders in Dublin Champions Challenge hockey

Gordon Shepherd may have to accept the underdog tag as his charges are the lowest ranked side for the women's Champions Challenge tournament starting in Dublin today, but the Scotland coach is not prepared to accept the inevitability of that status.

The Challenge event is for teams ranked nine to 16 in the world table, and the Scots are clear outsiders at 21st. Scotland's entry to the second division of international hockey may well have come from their 1-0 victory over 16th ranked side Chile in the World Cup Qualifier more than a year ago.

"To finish in the top six in the Champions Challenge will be our target, and that would be a really positive result for us given that we are the lowest ranked team in the tournament. The teams we will face are high calibre, but we will go out to win every game," said Shepherd.

In the pool part of the competition the Scots face a stiff test against South Africa, United States and Japan, all of which participated in the World Cup finals in Argentina last year. The latter three matches will involve cross-over games with Spain, India, Azerbaijan and hosts Ireland to determine final rankings in the event.

First up today are the Springboks, who defeated Scotland 2-1 in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi. That day, the South Africans were stronger and more physical, they went into a two-goal lead until Ali Bell notched a late consolation. They come to Dublin on the back of series wins against China and Belgium, but then suffered two defeats in Spain.

"We ran South Africa close in the Commonwealth Games last year, and we have become stronger with key players returning to the squad. That said, there will be no easy games for the squad and we anticipate a tough set of matches ahead of us," remarked Shepherd.

The main returning player is Olympian Laura Bartlett. She suffered a serious knee injury playing for Great Britain against Germany over a year ago and missed the Delhi Games, and she will certainly strengthen the midfield.

Perhaps Shepherd's biggest Achilles' heel is up front. Strikers Sam Judge, Ali Bell, Holly Cram, Ailsa Wyllie, Vikki Bunce and Nikki Kidd will require more composure in the scoring circle if the Scots hope to make an impact on such well-drilled defences.

Meanwhile, a goal by Ireland eight seconds from the end knocked the stuffing out of Scotland's men as they lost 2-1 in the opening game of the Celtic Cup in Cardiff. Barcelona's Fergus Dunn had two good chances to give Scotland the lead in the first ten minutes, but the sides reached half time goalless. In 50 minutes the Scots did have their noses in front. Niall Stott started the move with a run up the left; he found Alan Forsyth, whose shot was blocked by the keeper, and Kenny Bain's squeezed shot flew into the Irish net.

Forsyth had a chance to increase the lead but his failure simply encouraged the Irish to press for the equaliser, which came following a melee in the Scottish circle. Bain almost put the Scots in front for the second time but he diverted his effort wide of the left post. Then came the Irish winner from a very late breakaway.

"This was a very disappointing result. Again, we lost the lead by not taking our chances to increase it and not defending well enough to preserve it," said Eugene Connolly, Scotland's manager.