Ireland 7
Poland 1
The Irish men's hockey team steamrolled Poland in their second match of the 2017 Eurohockey Championships in Amsterdam on Monday afternoon.
The resounding 7-1 demolition of the Poles comes a day after an impressive 1-1 draw with highly Germany in their opening game, leaving the Irish men in a very contented position with the final group game against England looming on Wednesday.
It didn’t take long for the goals to start raining down in the Wagener Stadium as Sean Murray blasted the ball straight through Pacanowski in the Polish goal in the 6th minute.
Ireland controlled the tempo as you’d expect given the ten places between the two sides in the world rankings and four minutes later Neal Glassey’s shot was defected into the goal off a Polish stick. The goal was the result of Kirk Shimmins retrieving the ball in his own half and linking up well with Ben Walker to set Glassey up.
Murray very nearly doubled his tally as he dinked the ball over his markers stick on the baseline but Pacanowski made a strong stick save. Two further goals in the space of a minute only acted as further example of the Green Machine’s dominance.
Shane O’Donoghue sent one of his trade mark drag flicks high into the net in the 23rd minute before Alan Sothern got the slightest of touches from Matthew Nelson’s initial strike to make it 4-0.
The barrage of goals eased up only slightly in the second half as Ireland were still creating some superb chances.
Poland won their first penalty corner within minutes of the half starting but David Harte was more than up to the task as he earned his 200th cap today.
Murray won a clever penalty corner which O’Donoghue duly dispatched high into the corner in the 36th minute.
But Poland were creating some circle entries of their own and a run along the baseline by Kotulski set Pawlak up for the close range shot to earn his sides first goal of the encounter.
Skilful hockey by the men in green saw Sothern, Glassey and Nelson all lining up for shots as they sliced through the defence.
Shortly after, Paul Gleghorne rifled an aerial to O’Donoghue in the circle, his ensuing reverse strike on the volley looked goal-bound but Nelson’s last second touch sent it high over the bar.
Nelson deservedly got himself on the score sheet in the 54thminute as he was quickest to the rebound from Sothern’s initial strike.
The goals were rounded out by Stuart Loughrey as he swept in from close range following great link up between Conor Harte and Ben Walker down the left-hand side.
After the game, Ireland's head coach Craig Fulton said: "Our plan was to get plus 6 and we’re in a good position now. Our game against England essentially becomes a quarter final and regardless of anything else we want to go get the win".
Fulton was also quick to praise Harte’s 200 cap achievement: "To see where he’s got to, and his professionalism and drive is indicative of him reaching 200 caps and I hope there’s another 50 in that. It’s a great milestone and hopefully we can do it justice this tournament".
The Green Machine are next in action on Wednesday (August 23rd) against England at 13:45 (Irish time).
While the Ireland women’s hockey team have their final pool game on Tuesday (August 22nd) at 13:45 (Irish time) against Germany.
Ireland: D Harte, J Jackson, M Bell, A Sothern, N Glassey, K Shimmins, S O’Donoghue, M Robson, P Gleghorne, C Harte, S Loughrey
Subs: J Bell (Captain), M Nelson, S Murray, B Walker, D Walsh, L Cole, M Ingram
Poland: M Raciniewski, M Gumny, D Kotulski, M Poltaszewski, M Janiszewski, M Pacanowski, J Janicki, M Kasprzyk, A Krokosz (Captain), P Bratkowski, M Poltaszewski
Subs: M Popiolkowski, M Hulboj, T Wachowiak, J Kurowski, R Gruszczynski, P Pawlak, S Sellner
