Ireland claimed gold in the Hockey World League Round 2 with a 4-2 shoot-out win over France in their final game of the tournament at Stormont.
David Harte picked up Goalkeeper of the Tournament and Jonny McKee was named Best Young Player of the Tournament.
The primary objective for the week was achieved on Saturday with a hugely impressive 3-1 win over Wales, ensuring Ireland finished in the top three. That ensured they go forward to World League Round 3 where the 2018 World Cup places will be decided.
They followed that up with a win over France that ensured they claimed tournament gold, putting another feather in the cap of a very young side.
The first half of the final was a subdued affair with flowing hockey at a premium. France earned a couple of penalty corners that David Harte kept out while his counterpart Arthur Thieffry did likewise, keeping out shots from Shane O’Donoghue and Jonny McKee.
With the half petering out, France won their third corner and Victor Charlet rammed home the opening goal with a low bullet down the middle.
The third quarter provided more of the same before Ireland stirred in a big way in the closing quarter, rattling the French who were reduced to nine men for various indiscretions.
During that time, Gormley won Ireland’s only corner which Shane O’Donoghue nailed for 1-1 with eight minutes to go. Jonny McKee and Lee Cole then both stung the palms of Arthut Thieffry in a rousing finale.
In the shoot-out Conor Harte, Eugene Magee, Cole and McKee all scored while David Harte’s pair of saves ensured victory.
For coach Craig Fulton, it was hugely satisfying in seeing a much-changed squad prevail with eight tournament debutants while he had to cope with the injuries to John Jermyn and Chris Cargo late in the day.
It meant numerous new faces but coach Craig Fulton was quick to praise the squad for building game on game to produce ever-improved performances.
“They are the future of Irish hockey,” Fulton said of the new players. “We want to blood them and there’s no better place than a tournament like this with the quarters, semis and final. They now have that experience.
“We played five games with 15 guys [due to the injuries]; that’s not normal for a squad. The team environment has been building and is something that is very strong with these guys.
“Anyone coming into the group feels it. We have a world class staff; there’s a lot of things going on behind the scenes that make this team tick and a huge amount of work.”
Ireland will next play at World League Round 3 in South Africa in July before contesting the European Championships in August in Amsterdam.
Ireland: D Harte, J Bell, M Bell, R Gormley, E Magee, N Glassey, S O’Donoghue, J McKee, P Gleghorne, C Harte, J Duncan
Subs: B Walker, M Nelson, S Murray, L Cole, J Wright
France: A Thieffry, P van Straaten, J-L Kieffer, T Genestet, H Genestet, S Martin-Brisac, V Lockwood, C Masson, G Deront, J-B Forgues, V Charlet
Subs: C Peters-Deutz, B Rogeau, N Dumont, G Baumgarten, F Goyet, E Tynevez, C Saunier
