A EuroHockey Nations Championships that has been at various times chastening and heartbreaking for Irish hockey ended on a positive note, as both the men and women avoided relegation with the former securing fifth place, matching their highest ever finish in 1995.
Paul Revington is refusing to get carried away despite watching his ever-improving Ireland senior men’s side rout Russia 8-2 to retain A division status at the EuroHockey Nations Championships in Germany. Meanwhile, the women kept their hopes of staying up alive by finally clicking into gear in a 3-1 defeat of Azerbaijan.
Ireland continue to be European hockey’s great entertainers but ultimately saw their slim Olympic qualification hopes dashed by the Netherlands, who claimed a 7-4 victory in a topsy-turvy EuroHockey Nations Championship tie in Germany yesterday.
Ireland senior women’s coach Gene Muller drew some crumbs of comfort in what he saw as an improved performance despite watching England come from behind to defeat his side 3-1 at the EuroHockey Nations Championships in Germany yesterday.
No goals and no points is the chilling statistic worrying Ireland’s senior ladies after they fell to two 3-0 defeats to Germany and Belgium on the opening weekend of the EuroHockey Nations Championships in Moenchengladbach.
Ireland’s men and women tip off their European championships campaigns this weekend both hoping to cause a major surprise and potentially nick an Olympic place in the process in Moenchengladbach.