IRELAND 3 SOUTH AFRICA 3 (Ireland won 4-2 on pens)
Goalkeeper Niamh Reid Burke was the hero with two brilliant saves that helped the Ireland women’s side gain a 4-2 penalty shoot out victory over South Africa in the decider for places 13-14 at the World University Games in Gwangju South Korea.
The game finished level at three apiece after Ireland had staged a impressive come back from going 2-0 behind on the hour mark and then 3-1 with ten minutes remaining in horrendous conditions with the high winds and torrential rain that prevailed throught the game making it difficult for both sides.
But goals from Roseann Maguire on 64 and 83 minutes plus a deserved Emma Hansberry equaliser in time added on gave the gritty Irish girls the chance to take the tie in the penalty shoot out.
And Catherine Cronin, Maguire, Rachael Graham and Ciara Grant were all on target from the penalty spot while Reid Burke produded two top class stops to deny the Soth African's.
France were the overall winners with a 2-0 victory over Russia in the tournament final.
IRELAND: N Reid Burke (IT Blanchardstown); C O’Connell (UCC), C Rossiter (Waterford IT), C Cormican (UL), A Frawley (St Pat’s), J Byrne (NUIG); D Gorman (UCD), C O’Riordan (IT Carlow), E Hansberry (IT Sligo), S Killeen (UCD), R Maguire (NCI).
Subs: J A Russell (UCD) for O’Riordan h-t, C Cronin (UCD) for Cormican61 mins, R Graham (IT Carlow) for Killeen 64 mins, C Grant (UCD) for Gorman 69 mins, J Gleeson (Waterford IT), S Rowe (DCU), O Nolan (UCD), R Doyle (Maynooth Univ), E Badana (Drexel Univ).