A TIE AGAINST the Netherlands in Amstelveen saw Ireland become the first team to earn qualification for the 2015 World Cup yesterday.
Ireland’s topscorer Ed Joyce, with 96 from 113 balls (5 fours, 1 six), will be taking part in his third World Cup in Australia and New Zealand and expressed his delight at the achievement.
“It feels absolutely amazing,” Joyce said. “We came here to get through and win the competition and we’ve done the two. If you had offered us three points beforehand we would have taken it.
“We’re absolutely overjoyed. It’s the pinnacle of what we can do. We’re a good side and still have a lot of improving to do.
It’s the competition we look forward to most because we have a chance of progressing to the later rounds. It means a huge amount for Cricket Ireland financially and for us to grow the game. It’s an amazing feeling.”
Captain William Porterfield wasn’t quite as satisfied with result after missing out on the win. He added: “We’ve come off feeling like it’s a bit of a loss because coming down the last couple of overs we felt like we almost had it in the bag.
“I think we’ve done well to claw it back. It won’t take us long to get over the fact that we’ve drawn the game because we’ve qualified for the World Cup.
“We are pretty happy with it. Coming straight off the pitch after a tie it’s always a bit downbeat in the changing room but we’ll get a few beers down ourselves and enjoy it.
“We knew if we came to Holland and won the two games we had the competition. We won one and tied one. We’ve come here to do a job and we done it.”
Patrick Curran and Bennett was fantastic. They’ll be around for years to come unfortunately for the rest of us!
Were*
Big wake up call for Limerick today. Comfortably second best… Exposed at the back and up front…
Great second half performance from na Deise. Very clinical and opened up Limerick well. The goals today show that there is more to our game that some think.
Limerick were so poor today. Hard to understand why they continue with the handpassing game from the back. I lost count how many times we lost the ball and gave away needless scores. Terrible stuff.
Because we let ourselves down with running with it out from the back 3 years ago, Kevin. We try new things, but the truth is, the defense have no real quality anymore. New players needed fast.
The forwards weren’t much better Conor. It’s depressing, munster last night, Limerick today and now clare hammering kk. I need to go Into hibernation.
Ya they should be buston out
100% right they should be Buston out of defence
Derek McGrath comfortably won the side battle today.
TJ Ryan is hurling’s equivalent of this guy:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6KeG_i8CWE8
Your time is up TJ. Our county board can stop providing ‘jobs for the boys’ and give the post to a coach who is actually qualified to do it.
Kilkenny will destroy Waterford in the final
They will have to get to the final 1sr
You were saying
Some bell end typical Kilkenny, up there own arse half the time
Haha how’d that work out for you Aidan?????
He’s talking about the all Ireland final
Which final
Mystic Aiden …. Not
It’s only April sunshine don’t carried away beating Kilkenny b team . Good see small teams getting big day out in two weeks time .
Last year’s hoty on the b team now?