IRL – 0 GER – 5 Match Report
Ireland took on Germany in their third and final Pool B game this evening at the Euro Hockey Championship in Monchengladbach.
Germany beat England 5-0 in their previous fixture, securing the Pool B title, which left Ireland temporarily in second place in the table ahead of England’s third group game with Scotland on goal difference. A positive result against Germany could theoretically have led to a semi-final berth for the Green Army. England beat Scotland 5-0 however, the situation was going into their match tonight a win by two or more goals and Ireland would secure the semi-final berth. An admittedly tall order given the strength of the hosts but nonetheless a potential target.
Any plans of causing an upset did not last long as Sonja Zimmermann converted a penalty corner after only seven minutes to give Germany a 1-0 lead. Ireland did manage to force a penalty corner without converting it however and it remained 1-0 at the end of quarter one.
Pauline Heinz got a second for Germany from open play in the 23rd minute the second quarter to leave the hosts leading 2-0 at half -time, despite being temporarily reduced to 10 players following a green card for Stine Kurz in the 29th minute.
Ireland had a mountain to climb at the start of quarter three, and were unable to claw back the Germans advantage. It was still 2-0 heading into the final quarter. German captain Nike Lorenz made a comeback unlikely by adding another goal in the 51st minute converting a penalty corner. Germany 3-0 ahead with less than 10 minutes remaining.
It got worse for Ireland because they conceded two further goals within two minutes. Nike Lorenz converted her second penalty corner of the game to make it 4-0 in the 52nd minute and Jette Fleschuz added a fifth from open play a minute later.
A third place finish in Pool B means a visit to Pool C now for Ireland but a 5th or 6th place finish overall would still achieve the objectives from this tournament in Ireland making the Olympic qualification tournament in January, and of course retaining Ireland’s spot in the elite Euro Hockey Championship for the next tournament in 2025.
Final score Ireland 0 Germany 5
IRELAND: Ayeisha McFerran(GK), Sarah McAuley, Elena Neill, Roisín Upton. Katie McKee, Sarah Hawkshaw, Charlotte Beggs, Katie Mullan (C), Caitlin Sherin, Deirdre Duke, Niamh Carey
SUBS: Michelle Carey, Hannah Mc Loughlin, Sarah Torrans, Naomi Carroll, Ellen Curran, Caoimhe Perdue
GERMANY: Julia Sonntag (GK), Kira Horn, Amelie Wortmann, Nike Lorenz (C), Anne Schroeder, Lena Micheel, Charlotte Stapenhorst, Sonja Zimmermann, Cecile Pieper, Viktoria Huse, Hannah Granitzki
SUBS: Selin Oruz, Lisa Nolte, Pauline Heinz, Stine Kurz, Jette Fleschuz, Linnea Weidermann
