IRELAND MEN’S hockey team have earned a place in the Eurohockey Championship semi-finals after a 2-2 draw with Belgium in London.
Goals from Peter Caruth and John Jackson against the team ranked fourth in the world ensured Ireland second place in Pool B, ahead of today’s opponents on goal difference, and they go on to face either England or the Netherlands in the last-four on Thursday.
“What a game,” man of the match Caruth said afterwards. “We knew what we had to do. We knew we had to come out and take it to Belgium, a side we haven’t beaten before.
“Some decisions didn’t go our way but we were very pleased with how we stuck in and fought well there.
“We knew it would come down to the wire, that we would have a dog fight in there and that’s what we tried to do.
Coach Craig Fulton added: “There is a very small difference between success and failure, and today in difficult conditions we put in enough detail to get a big result in a major competition when it counted. A fantastic team performance, now onto the semis!”
Ireland: Harte (Captain), Jackson, Gormley, Magee, Shimmins, O’Donoghue, Darling, Good, Burton, Gleghorne, Harte. Bench: Cargo, Sothern, Caruth, Robson, Watt, Fitzgerald.
Watch highlights of the game below:
hopefully he’s sober
Jesus lads go easy on the positivity. Personally I think it’s great to see him back, hopefully stays fit and can contribute to the Irish team too.
How have Everton not left him go?
He is probably a qualified doctor at this stage, the amount of time he has spent in the treatment room.
because he’s one of their best midfielders when fit
Because whenever he’s actually played he’s done fantastic.
and he also has a contract and it’s hard to sell injured players.
He was bad last night… gareth barry looks to have more spring in his step these days…. injuries seem to have taken their toll on gibson, he is too one paced and can’t get around the pitch when he does manage to make rare appearances these days
Glass Knees Gibson.
When you’re up in row Z and the ball hits your head its …