Saturday, July 19: The IRL U18 Girls and Boys both secured the EuroHockey U18 Championship II titles today, with wins in the final over Scotland and Italy, respectively. A penalty stroke from Rebekah Lennon and a brace from Hollai Quinn was enough for U18 Girls to secure their 3-1 win over the hosts. The IRL U18 boys put five past Italy in their final, John Cunningham scoring a hattrick, and Adam McKee and Noa Mulvey also scoring in an emphatic win.
The IRL U18 Girls settled the nerves early in their final against Scotland, earning two penalty corners which Scotland defended well. A penalty stroke only a couple of minutes later gave Ireland the opportunity to take the lead, with Rebekah Lennon stepping up to break the deadlock.
Scotland, however, had a response, drawing level from open play after 19 minutes. The two sides went into the half-time break locked at 1-1.
The break gave Ireland time to regroup, with the tactical changes paying dividends as Hollai Quinn restored Ireland’s lead with a clever finish on her reverse stick. Quinn got her second and put some light between Ireland and Scotland with a second goal just before the end of the third quarter.
Scotland continued to battle as they looked for a way back into the game, winning a number of penalty corners in the final quarter. Ireland defended their lead well to see out the game and secure the title with a fifth win from five games.
In Alanya, the IRL U18 Boys faced Italy for the second time in the competition as they looked to secure the EuroHockey Championship II title. Ireland made their way through the Italian deep defence early, Noa Mulvey winning a penalty corner that John Cunningham converted to give Ireland an early lead. Cunningham added a second four minutes into the second quarter, again from a penalty corner to extend Ireland’s lead.
Italy responded, however, clawing a goal back to make a game of it, which saw the sides go into half-time at a scoreline of 2-1.
After the break, Adam McKee got in on the act for Ireland, driving a low shot into the net to restore Ireland’s two-goal cushion.
A duo of goals in the final quarter, one from John Cunningham to complete his hattrick and a second from Noa Mulvey put the game well out of reach. Rob Olden put the icing on the cake, the captain slotting home a penalty corner on the final whistle to crown Ireland the EuroHockey U18 Championship II winners.
The IRL U18 Boys and Girls also gained promotion to Europe’s topflight competition, the EuroHockey U18 Championships for 2027.
