IRELAND 0 POLAND 0 [ POLAND WIN 4-2 IN SHOOT-OUT]
AUGUST 24, DUBLIN: Ireland who were ranked #9 in the World in the most recent FIH rankings took on #28, Poland, in the second semi-final at Sports Campus Ireland on Saturday.
Ireland began the first quarter well, dominating possession and winning four penalty corners, none of which were converted. Poland defended resolutely, denying Ireland many clear-cut scoring opportunities. Poland came into the game a little more in quarter two, spending more time in the Irish half in the first few minutes of the quarter than the entire first quarter. The Irish responded near the end of the quarter forcing several half chances. It remained scoreless at half-time.
The third quarter provided no goals despite Ireland having the wind at their backs, dominating possession, and creating several chances.
Ali Empey shot wide in the fourth quarter with six minutes left on the clock. Poland were awarded a second penalty corner with three minutes remaining. The first effort was expertly saved by IRL keeper Mark Ingram, Damien Jarzembowski hit the ball wide from the follow-up. The game ended 0-0 and went to a penalty shoot-out.
Poland went first and Patryk Pawlak put them 1-0 up. Daragh Walsh equalised for Ireland with his penalty. Poland converted their second penalty corner, spinning and flicking past the Irish keeper.
Ben Walker was fouled by the goalkeeper and Lee Cole converted the resulting penalty stroke for 2-2. Polish captain Jacek Kurowski put Poland 3-2 ahead. Peter Brown’s penalty was saved by Polish goalkeeper Mateusz Popiolowski to give Poland the advantage. Robert Pawlak missed the fourth Polish penalty, giving Ireland a lifeline. Shane O’Donoghue’s penalty, Ireland’s fourth, was saved. Gracan Jarzynski stepped up and made no mistake handing Poland the victory and the place in the final.
Speaking after the game Ireland Head Coach Mark Tumilty said:
“Over the 60 minutes we controlled the game. We had 4 penalty corners in the first half and none in the second half, that sums up our performance. We were good between the two 23-meter lines but were lacking in the final third.
It’s a great lesson to our younger players that we don’t have an entitlement to be in the top level of European Hockey. There’s been a lot of talk lately about us being ranked 9th in the World. Did we play like the 9th best team in the world out there today? I don’t think we did.”
In the first semi-final Wales took on Czechia. Fred Newbold gave Wales the lead converting a 3rd minute penalty corner. Alf Dinnie added a second from open play in the 9th minute. Rhys Bradshaw converted an 11th minute penalty corner, and they lead 3-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Gareth Griffiths scored a goal from open play in the 17th minute to make it 4-0. He got his second goal of the match when he converted a 22nd minute penalty stroke to make it 5-0 and Jamie Rawlings converted a 28th minute penalty corner to leave Wales 6-0 ahead at half-time. Wales should have increased their lead just after the break, but Gareth Griffiths’ penalty stroke was saved by replacement goalkeeper Vojtech Pazitka. Hywel Jones 36th minute penalty corner was the only goal in the third quarter, and they led 7-0 going into the final quarter.
Lukas Plochy got the Czechs off the mark when he converted a 48th minute penalty corner to make it 7-1, but it was only to be a consolation as the game ended 7 – 1. Wales advanced to the 1st and 2nd place final tomorrow afternoon, where they will play Poland while the Czechs will be in the 3rd and 4th place final against Ireland.
IRELAND : Mark Ingram (GK), Tim Cross, Shane O’Donoghue, Kyle Marshall, Lee Cole, Michael Robson, Daragh Walsh, Jonathan Lynch, Louis Rowe, Ben Johnson, Ben Walker SUBS USED:- Luke Witherow [ 4 mins], Charlie Rowe [ 5 mins], Luke Madeley [ 5 mins], Peter Brown [7 mins], Alistair Empey [ 10 mins]
POLAND : Mateusz Popiolowski (GK), Mikolaj Glowacki, Damien Jarzembowski, Tomasz Bembenek, Gracan Jarzynski, Jacek Korowski (C), Maksymilian Koperski, Robert Pawlak, Jakub Janicki, Patryk Pawlak, Mateusz Nowakowski
SUBS USED:- Mikolaj Gumny [4 mins], Eryk Bembenek [4 mins], Michal Lange [ 4 mins], Jakub Holosyniuk [ 7 mins], Mikhal Kasprzyk [11 mins]