‘We didn't get the rub of the green': Ireland captain Kyle Marshall frustrated after late Spanish comeback
Twice Ireland led through Johnny McKee and Lee Cole, but Mark Tumilty's side were beaten by three goals in the final quarter from the Spaniards, denying Ireland only their second win of the campaign.
The defeat was made even more sour as Ben Nelson felt he should have had a penalty stroke in the fourth quarter with the scores level when he went around Rafael Revilla and was felled by the Spanish goalkeeper, only for both the on-field decision and video review to deny them the stroke.
That, combined with late goals from Nicolas Alvarez – his second of a brace – and Pepe Cunill, left a sour taste in Marshall's mouth following the final hooter.
'We started well and came out of the blocks nice and aggressive. We didn't get the rub of the green with decisions at pivotal times in the game, and that maybe took the wind out of our sales a bit," he sighed.
"We were definitely in the game for large parts, we will try and bring that energy into tomorrow (a rematch with Spain in their final match).
'Ben Nelson isn't a diver. He was disadvantaged by the contact. I don't know why that decision can't just be given on the pitch straight away. Even before that there was a penalty corner.'
Ireland had started strongly by scoring with their first attack of the game, Jeremy Duncan driving down the left and playing the ball in for McKee to deflect past Revilla just inside three minutes, and it appeared Ireland's luck was in when the Spaniards thought they had equalised from a goalmouth scramble, only for the goal to be chalked off by the video umpire.
But they would be pegged back just before the first interval, Bruno Avila equalising from a penalty corner, and they were lucky not to fall behind early in the second quarter when Adam McAllister blocked an Alvarez strike that was destined for the net.
That allowed Cole to put Ireland ahead at half-time when he fired in from the spot after Louis Rowe won the penalty stroke for being shoved in the back inside the circle.
Alvarez levelled things when he rifled in from a tight angle shortly after the start of the fourth quarter and then Ireland were hit with a double blow when first Peter Brown was yellow carded and then Nelson saw his appeals for a penalty stroke stunningly turned down.
And, out of nowhere, the Spanish stole the win in the final three minutes as a hopeful ball into the circle was deftly flicked in by the stick of Alvarez and then Cunill finished the scoring with a fine finish from a penalty corner.
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