Team Ireland took the silver medal at the Ice Hockey World Championships last night and earned promotion to Division Two after scoring a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Luxembourg at the Dundalk Ice Dome.
Having trailed 3-1, Ireland staged a stunning recovery to tie the match at 3-3 and force extra-time, with Robert Leckey, Mark Morrison and Trevor Kennedy scoring for the hosts.
Neither side managed to find the net in added time and the game was decided by Ireland's Man of the Tournament Mark Morrison, who was the only one of six players to find the net in the penalty shootout.
In the opening period, Ireland goaltender Kevin Kelly had to be sharp to keep Luxembourg at bay. At the other end of the rink, Philippe Lepage, deputising for the injured pair of Giles Mangen and Michael Welter, was also called into action several times but the first period ended scoreless.
However, goals came fast and furious in the second period as Benny Houdremont scored in a 22nd minute powerplay to open Luxembourg account. David Kraus made it 2-0 for the visitors before Leckey gave the Irish some hope midway through the second period.
On yet another powerplay, Houdremont got his second and Luxembourg's third on 34 minutes.
Man of the Match Morrison brought the men in green closer at in the 39th minute to make it a one goal game.
The period ended with Luxembourg leading 3-2 and looking like the likely winners.
However, the Irish men refused to concede defeat and their gallant efforts were rewarded in the final minute when Kennedy equalised to the delight of the large crowd at the Dundalk venue.
With the scores level at 3-3 at full-time, the game then went to a five minute four-on-four overtime period.
That failed to separate the sides and so it went to the dreaded and dramatic scenario of a penalty shootout to decide the winner.
Irish coach Jim Tibbetts elected his three players to take the penalty shots as did Hakan Gronlund of Luxembourg.
And it was Morrison who proved to be the hero for Ireland as he kept his nerve to be the only player to find the net and ensure the local supporters went home happy.
In the earlier final, New Zealand lifted gold and will join Team Ireland in Division Two.
