After the narrow defeat by Switzerland on Friday, Ireland's challenge for the European Cup in Padua in September began to take some shape at the championship venue yesterday when the hosts, Italy, were held to a 2-2 draw.
Ireland twice took the lead yesterday. From a short-corner switch, Paddy Brown slotted home the opening goal in the 12th minute. Italy equalised through Fernando Ferrara and from a barrage of corners on the half-time hooter, they gained a penalty stroke which Nigel Henderson saved from the captain, Alessio Raggio.
Errol Lutton scored direct from a corner early in the second half but the fired-up Italians were soon on level terms again with a reverse-stick shot by Devis Mapelli. The Irish defence did well in soaking up further pressure, though Nigel Buttimer and David McAnulty both went close to snatching a winner.
A more prestigious 2-2 draw, at the expense of Germany, was achieved by the Irish under-18s in the European Youth Cup at the Queen's University playing fields in Belfast. Alan Giles gave the home side an early lead and although the Germans went 2-1 up within the space of two minutes before the interval, Ireland continued to excel in the second half. They were rewarded when David Hobbs forced the German goalkeeper to yield a penalty stroke, which Karl Burns converted.
Ireland had beaten France 2-0 through two-short corner goals by Peter McConnell on Saturday, but four points were not enough to earn a semi-final place. Having finished third in the group, the Irish side now face Scotland in a play-off match which will decide who will stay in the A division.
The Irish under-16s were unable to retain premier division status in Antwerp, losing 5-1 to the Netherlands in the first of the play-offs. They resisted defiantly in their final pool game against Germany on Saturday before losing 2-1 after a scoreless first half. A goal by Andrew Walker looked like earning a draw but the Germans capitalised on Irish hesitancy to take full points. Yesterday, it was also 0-0 at the interval but the Dutch then swept into a 5-0 lead before Gary Greene got one back.
Three Rock Rovers recovered from 6-0 and 4-0 defeats by the hosts, Amsterdam, and the Polish side Poctowiec to beat Minsk 3-0 in the European Cup Winners Cup. Today they meet Lille in a game which will decide survival for Ireland - maybe for Rovers themselves - in the A division.
IRELAND (v Italy) - N Henderson; G Goulet, E Lutton, D Smyth P Brown; J Black, A Dowd, N Buttimer; D McAnulty, L Tumilty, J Stevenson. Subs: I Steen, F de Rosa, C Hanna. Umpire: I Thompson.
