IRELAND 1 AUSTRIA 2
Ireland opened their three game series on Thursday with a 1-2 defeat against Austria. The games, which are part of the final preparations ahead of the European Championships II, are hosted by Ireland from July 23-29 in Abbotstown. They are taking place over the next few days, finishing on Saturday July 15th with an afternoon game against the same opponents.
On a wet and miserable evening in Abbotstown, the home side started strongly and Conor Empey put Ireland 1-0 up in the 12th minute from open play. Austria equalized through a field goal by Josef Winkler on the stroke of half-time.
It was 1-1 at the break. One of the remarkable aspects of the game was how few Penalty corners were awarded .
Then they grabbed what proved to be the winner through Fulop Losonci’s field goal in the 43rd minute. Although Ireland did try to get back on terms, it was to no avail and it ended 2-1 to Austria.
IRELAND: James Milliken (GK), Luke Madeley, Daragh Walsh, Shane O’Donoghue, Sean Murray (c), Mark McNelis, Louis Rowe, Sam Hyland, Mark Samuel, Nicholas Page, Alistair Empey. SUBS: James Carr (GK), Kevin O’Dea, Jeremy Duncan, Jonathan Lynch, Conor Empey
AUSTRIA: Mateusz Szymczyk, Oliver Binder, Benjamin Koelbl, Benjamin Stanzl, Franz Lindengrun, Fabien Unterkircher, Leon Thoernblom, Fueloep Losonci, Xaver Hasun (C), Oliver Kern. SUBS: Peter Kaltenboeck; Daniel Froehlich, Moritz Frey, Josef Winkler, Mateusz Nyckowiak, Clemens Rusnjak
