Men's Hockey/Ireland 1-2 France:After so narrowly missing out on the Olympic qualifying final yesteday, Ireland have only themselves to blame for not ensuring they finished in third place after a 2-1 defeat at the hands of France.
The Irish dominated the game from start to the last ten minutes of the game but their failure to get a second goal was to be their downfall as Frederic Soyez slotted the winner with seconds on the clock.
The afternoon started well for Ireland as they won the first short corner of the game. However, Mark Gleghorne, the tournament's leading scoring saw his effort tipped over by French goalkeeper Julian Thamin and minutes later Gleghorne fired wide from another corner.
An attacking foray from Iain Lewers created a goal mouth scramble and on 14 minutes Ireland again created a good opening as a Mark Black crash ball was deflected goalbound by John Jermyn. However, the covering Nicolas Musgens saved off the line.
Later in the first half, Ireland eventually found the back of the net only to be called back by the umpire for a penalty stroke.
The second half saw Ireland continuing to push forward and the team finally got their break when Barbour slotted home with a reverse stick lob over a packed circle.
However, France hit back and after Gormley saved a low drag shot from a French corner, the resulting clearance found Matthieu Dourchon who swept the ball into the Irish net to equalise.
Ireland still continued to push on and create chances and came close to going ahead again when a rasping reverse stick shot from Jermyn grazed the outside of the upright.
But with just under a minute to go disaster struck when Frederic Soyez scored a fantastic reverse stick goal high into the net to send the French ecstatic and leave the irish players desolate.
Ireland now finish 4th in the tournament behind France.
"This was a disappointing end to the tournament," said Ireland coach David Passmore after the match.
"We completely controlled the game created many chances but we lost it by not being clinical at the right times."