England lost 4-2 to Ireland in EuroHockey bronze medal match
Last Updated: 29/08/15 6:06pm
England slipped to a 4-2 defeat in the bronze medal match at the Unibet EuroHockey Championships on Saturday.
A double from Shane O'Donoghue and penalty corner goals from Alan Sothern and Eugene Magee did the damage as Ireland made history, winning their first-ever European medal.
England hit back through Harry Martin and Adam Dixon but in a hectic encounter, Bobby Crutchley's team could not find the goals to turn the tide.
After 11 minutes, it was Jackson who produced a telling intervention. He won the ball high up the field and fed it into Middleton. He found Harry Martin and the No 9 applied the finish from close range to give England the lead.
Ireland levelled from a well-taken penalty corner by O'Donoghue two minutes later, ensuring it was 1-1 at the quarter time break.
The pressure mounted and England won another corner and this time they got the goal they had threatened. Jackson's pass was deflected in beautifully by Dixon to make it 2-1.
Clear chance
Ireland earned a penalty corner at the end of the first half after good work by John Jackson. They ran a different routine with Eugene Magee setting up Alan Sothern who squeezed the ball through George Pinner to make it 2-2 at the half way stage.
Ireland had the first clear chance of the second half. Magee stepped up from another set piece to give them the lead with a precise flick into the top corner.
Ward won England a penalty corner with 90 seconds remaining. Jackson shot but Harte got a glove on it.
Ireland broke free in the dying seconds and with no goalkeeper a desperate lunge resulted in a penalty stroke for a foul on Kirk Shimmins.
Mark Gleghorne went in goal for it and faced O'Donoghue, but the Ireland man scored to make it 4-2 and seal the win.
