Men's Hockey European Championship: Ireland 10 Czech Rep 0Ireland became just the fifth team in European championship history to reach double figures as they trounced the Czech Republic on the final day at Manchester yesterday - but they still ended the tournament relegated from the continent's elite.
The fireworks ignited by Mark Gleghorne's score after just three minutes showed the improvement under coach Dave Passmore over the past three years.
John Jermyn claimed three goals while Andy Barbour (two), Eugene Magee, Phelie Maguire and Graham Shaw also netted.
When these sides last met, in the B championship in Rome in 2005, the Irish had just two goals to spare as both nations qualified to compete in the A grade.
Unfortunately, Passmore has not been able to eradicate the familiar old failing of blowing vital matches, as his charges did last Wednesday against France.
After the 1-1 draw with England on Friday, Ireland, in order to beat the drop, had to drub the Czechs and then rely on the hosts to self-destruct against France.
With their top-division status already assured, our Gallic cousins were no help, bowing out on a seven-nil hiding.
Passmore admitted the French result was crushing, though he preferred to talk up the chances of his team making an impact at an Olympic qualifier next spring.
The unluckiest side in Europe will probably compete for a place in Beijing at an event in New Zealand, Britain and Egypt also likely to be chasing the one qualification spot on offer in Auckland.
It is 1991 since the previous 10-goal hammering at the championships, the Netherlands pasting Poland. And for the record, in 1970 Spain put 13 past Malta.
The Irish were impressively ruthless against a side without a goal to their name. Reckoning they needed at least eight, the winners were halfway there by the break, Gleghorne's penalty-corner effort followed by more from John Jermyn, Eugene Magee and Phelie Maguire.
Czech goalkeeper Filip Neusser stepped aside to allow Tomas Hanus a turn in the firing line but he enjoyed no better luck as Jermyn surged up the right to beat him twice.
Then Andy Barbour converted a pass from Timmy Cockram; Graham Shaw profited from a delivery by Stephen Butler; Gleghorne notched his second at a corner; and in the last minute Barbour poached the 10th.
It was great entertainment for anyone of an Hibernian inclination but the deluge came too late to salvage something from the wreckage of a good tournament.
IRELAND:M Ruddle, P Brown, R Gormley, S Butler, M Gleghorne, J Jermyn, E Magee, G Shaw, D Hobbs, A Barbour, I Lewers. Subs: K Burns, M Black, T Cockram, P Maguire, G McCabe.
CZECH REPUBLIC:F Neusser, F Jaros, V Sladek, T Prochazka, S Bernatek, O Vudmaska, L Cech, J Kyndl, R Koktric, A Perinka, J Hanus. Subs: P Barta, M Babicky, M Toms, O Turek, T Hanus.
Umpires:M Knulle (France), H Jamson (England).
Fifth-eighth-place play-offs:Ireland 10, Czech Republic 0; England 7, France 0.
Final standings:5, England 7 pts; 6, France 6 pts; 7, Ireland 4 pts; 8, France 0 pts. (Ireland and Czech Republic relegated). Bronze-medal match: Belgium 4, Germany 3. Final: Netherlands 3 Spain 2 (Top three go to the Olympics).
