U18 EuroHockey Championships Netherlands and Germany will contest the Final

29th July 2016: After 2 close fought semi-final games it is a Dutch, German final for the girls here in Cork.

Netherlands 3 (F.Moes, P.Dickie, C.Bosch) England 0

A more intense and accurate game from England than we have seen so far, saw them hold off the Dutch until the 38th minute. F.Moes opened the scoring from a PC in the 38th minute. The second for the Dutch was scored by P.Dicke. England worked hard to get on the scoresheet matching the Dutch for speed, but the 3rd goal in the 67th minute.

Speaking to England’s head coach after the game, ex-Irish International Sarah Kelleher said she set some expectations that they could bring the game to the Dutch, whilst tactically she hadn’t changed much but had finessed some key aspects of the play. She felt that in the first half they could have put some chances away. She added about the players “I cannot question the work rate of the girls ” They kept up with the high press. She was disappointed to not have earned more corners! Talking about their upcoming Medal game she felt that the performance of today has given her great belief in the girls and their ability to come away with a medal from the Championships. “The girls are on the high, they are disappointed to have not beaten the Dutch, isn’t that a great place to be!”

Germany 1 (L. Arndt) Belgium 0

Strong defensive game from Germany saw them battle their way into the Final of the EuroHockey Championships. A single goal in Arndt minute was the difference between the teams.

GER 1-0 BEL Germany take the early lead thanks to a goal from Arndt, from a turnover in the midfield and an impressive run from Pia Maertens who passed it to Arndt on the base line, she scored from a seemingly impossible angle.

Both teams had chances to change the scoreline, but the German defence remained rock solid. A PC in the dying minutes was Belgium’s best chance to go ahead but keeper Heyn  saved and the score remained 1-0 on favour of Germany.

 

Pool C
Ireland 1 (E Curran) Poland 0
Ellen Curran’s 12th minute sliding goal was enough to earn Ireland their second win of the Girls EuroHockey Youth Championships, giving them their second win of the campaign.

It means they have six points in Pool C with a potential win over Spain on Saturday giving them fifth place from the tournament. Curran had missed the last game of the initial group stages through injury but she returned in some style, pouncing at the right post after Rachel Burns picked her out from the left of the circle.

It was a lead they would never relinquish in an end-to-end battle in which both sides threw everything forward but were unable to find the final outcomes.

Michelle Carey’s excellent runs from midfield at pace caused lots of danger while Jessica McMaster was a real star with her stickwork and pace, too. Poland, meanwhile, forced a series of corners but found Emma Buckley in strong form between the posts.

McMaster went within inches of winning the tie with six minutes to go but Klaudia Glowacka scrambled across to prevent the danger. Poland’s attempts to draw level, though, petered out in the last few minutes when a pair of yellow cards limited their chances and Ireland had their second win.

 

Team	Minute	Shirt #	Player	Action	Score
Ireland	12	7	CURRAN Ellen	Field Goal	0 – 1

 

Spain 3 (F Amundson 2, C Ycart) Russia 1 (V Borisova)

Spain survived a huge scare to claim the laurels against Russia 3-1, riding their luck at times to record the win they needed to confirm their place in the top level of the competition.

The result means the impressive Russian outfit will move down a tier along with Poland for the next edition, a tough outcome after they had opened the tournament with a 3-2 win over now-finalists Germany.

Spanish captain Florencia Amundson had given her side a great start when she juggled the ball into the goal in the 11th minute. But they struggled to contain the pace of Svetlana Eroshina and the trickery of Valeriia Borisova who were serious threats.

Borisova cracked home her sixth goal of the competition in the 42nd minute to equalise after a brilliant individual run. Spain replied in kind with Clara Ycart roofing a reverse-stick shot after some superb build-up play down the right wing.

Again, Russia penned Spain back in their 23m are but could not break through Paula Ruiz’s defences in a charged closing spell. Spain took the tie with a few seconds remaining via Amundson’s calm finish, making it 3-1.

 

Team	Minute	Shirt #	Player	Action	Score
Spain	11	10	AMUNDSON Florencia	Field Goal	1 – 0
Russia	41	13	BORISOVA Valeriia	Field Goal	1 – 1
Spain	49	7	YCART Clara	Field Goal	2 – 1
Spain	68	10	AMUNDSON Florencia	Field Goal	3 – 1

 

To follow the games, click below:

EuroHockey Youth Championships III, U 18, Girls, Gibraltar

EuroHockey Youth Championships, U18, Boys, Cork

EuroHockey Youth Championships, U18, Girls, Cork

EuroHockey Youth Championships II, U18, Boys, Glasgow

EuroHockey Youth Championships II, U18, Girls, Glasgow

EuroHockey Youth Championships III, U18, Boys, Albena