HOCKEY: EUROHOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP: Ireland 2 France 0:JOHN JERMYN'S pair of penalty strokes saw Ireland's men take a massive step towards retaining European A Division status yesterday in Monchengladbach, beating 2007 nemesis France 2-0.
This tie had plenty of the hallmarks of that 2007 game, Ireland bossing play but unable to convert while the French saw numerous players enter the sin-bin before winning out 1-0.
But Paul Revington’s team have developed markedly since then and took advantage of Francois Scheefer and Bastien Dierckens’ twin dismissals to finally break through.
Described as an “arm-wrestle” by French coach Scott Goodheart, it was not one of the more attractive ties in this competition as an overnight deluge, allied to an over-worked drainage system, made the pitch tough to master.
Ireland’s natural game, owing a lot to raking diagonal balls, was stifled and the front-runners were restricted from using their natural pace.
Nonetheless, Eugene Magee, Timmy Cockram and Mikey Watt had all gone close as Ireland laid siege to Henri-Julien Lhomme’s goal. But his defence led a charmed life, also holding out Jermyn’s drag-flick and Magee’s penalty corner slap-shot.
Mitch Darling won the first stroke which Corkman Jermyn coolly converted 14 minutes from time despite major tension in the stands.
And Jermyn was given another chance two minutes from time as Geoff McCabe’s goal-bound shot was illegally blocked by Arnaud Becuwe. He picked the same corner, applying too much power for Lhomme.
There was a late scare when Dierckens swept in from close range but Ireland used the umpire review system to see the goal wiped away and hold on for a big result.
It gives Ireland an outside chance of reaching the semi-finals, but they need to upset world number three side the Netherlands tomorrow evening, something they have never managed at European level.
A victory could see Ireland into the semi-finals and within reach of an Olympic qualifying place.
England – who defeated Ireland 2-0 in the opening group game –suffered a setback in their bid to reach the semi-final stage as they were beaten 4-3 by the Netherlands yesterday in Monchengladbach. Hosts Germany defeated Spain 3-1, while Belgium had an easy 7-1 victory over Russia.
IRELAND: D Harte, J Jackson, G McCabe, R Gormley, M Watt, E Magee, M Darling, T Cockram, D Ames, P Gleghorne, C Harte. Subs: J Brennan, J Jermyn, P Caruth, A McConnell, I Sloan.
FRANCE: H-J Lhomme, T Genestet, A Becuwe, J Jansen, F Magner, B Dierckens, Y Schambert, F Scheefer, J-B Pauchet, M Genestet, V Migneau. Subs: M Catonnet, C Hauet, L Sevestre, F Pourcelet, V Lockwood.
