Canada 3-1 Ireland
(agg 6-6, Canada win 5-4 on penalties)
Ireland missed out on a place in Tokyo 2020 in heartbreaking, contentious fashion after a late penalty decision by the officials led to a shootout in which Canada prevailed, ending the Green Machine's Olympic hopes.
With seconds remaining, Ireland led by a goal on aggregate, only for the video official to award a penalty stroke after time had expired.
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Canada scored that to force a shootout and though Ireland had two opportunities to win that they couldn't take them and the hosts won in sudden death.
Mark Tumilty's men came in with a two-goal advantage following Saturday's 5-3 first-leg victory and quickly improved that to three when John McKee fired home from a tight angle after just five minutes.
Ireland led 1-0 (6-3) at the end of the first quarter but Canada were enjoying more of the ball than the first game and they equalised after 22 minutes.
From a penalty corner, given after a video review, Gordon Johnston drilled a low shot past Irish keeper David Fitzgerald.
It remained 1-1 at half-time but Ireland's advantage was down to the minimum halfway through the third quarter as Johnston's pass into the scoring circle was diverted home by Oliver Scholfield.
A yellow card for Matt Nelson just before the end of the quarter ensured a nervous beginning to the fourth, but Ireland seemed to have closed it out until the final seconds.
Canada mounted one last attack and though the Irish players celebrated as the whistle went, the Canadians appealed for an infraction.
A lengthy video review decided a penalty stroke was merited for what looked to be minimal contact from Lee Cole, and Scott Tupper beat Fitzgerald to level on aggregate and force a penalty shootout, where five players have eight seconds each to score from shuttles.
Johnston and Magee both converted before Panesar shot wide under great pressure from Fitzgerald, and McKee rolled the keeper to put Ireland 2-1 up.
Things got even better when Pereira obstructed Fitzgerald and lost his chance and Carruth scored at the second attempt for 3-1.
Jamie Wallace made it 3-2 but Ireland still had two chances to win.
Michael Robson was denied by David Carter for the first of those but after Adam Froese scored, Shane O'Donoghue still had the opportunity. Carter again saved well to force sudden death.
Eugene Magee stepped up and coolly scored for a second time while Fitzgerald got a glove to Johnston's second effort but couldn't keep it out.
McKee came forward again but accidentally touched the ball with his foot, a foul, and Froese took his chance to seemingly seal an improbable victory.
There was time for one final piece of drama as the video referee checked for a back-stick foul by Froese before his shot, but none was found and Ireland's exit was confirmed, back-to-back Olympic qualification taken away in the most heartbreaking of circumstances.
