IRELAND ENJOYED A record win in international hockey this evening, as they defeated Malta 25-0.
Ireland, ranked nine in the world, cruised to victory over a Malta team ranked 72, in the fourth quarter-final of the European B qualifiers.
The game played at Sports Campus Ireland, saw the Ireland team enter off the back of five Olympic pool matches and 16 FIH Pro League ties plyed earlier this year.
Alistair Empey spearheaded the scoring drive as he registered six, while Ben Walker and Ben Johnson were both on target four times each.
Jonathan Lynch, Shane O’Donoghue, and Michael Robson each scored twice, while Luke Madeley, Lee Cole, Charlie Rowe, Louis Rowe and Daragh Walsh all weighed in with a goal each.
Ireland now advance to a semi-final against Poland at 2.15pm on Saturday afternoon, as the teams bid to reach the 2025 EuroHockey Championships in Monchengladbach in Germany.
Poland defeated Italy in a shootout today, while the other semi-final will see Wales, 17-0 victors over Luxembourg, in action against Czechia, 9-1 winners against Turkiye.
That semi-final is pencilled in for 12pm on Saturday afternoon.
Ireland: Mark Ingram, Luke Witherow, Shane O’Donoghue(C), Lee Cole, Kyle Marshall, Jonathan Lynch, Charlie Rowe, Louis Rowe, Matthew Nelson, Alistair Empey, Ben Walker.
Subs used: James Milliken (GK) [ 31 mins], Ben Johnson [4 mins], Louis Rowe [4 mins], Michael Robson [ 4 mins], Tim Cross [4 mins], Daragh Walsh [4 mins], Luke Madeley [5 mins].
