Cookstown Hockey Club’s Matthew Rollins has just returned from Barcalona where he helped Ireland U16 regain A-Division status, with a 2-2 draw against Poland, playing for the fifth successive game in the midday heat. A ten goal win was needed to snaffle fifth place but that never looked likely and the single point was enough to relegate the Poles.
It was 38 degrees this time around but Ireland recovered from the concession of a seventh minute corner drag-flick to lead 2-1.
David Cole – who was outstanding next to Matthew Rollins in the centre-backs – equalised with a corner effort before Scott Sullivan’s pass picked out Kirk Shimmins to slot home a one-on-one effort.
Again, sharpness in front of goal was a factor in not killing off the tie as two Polish players were sin-binned. They nicked an equaliser a couple of minutes from time with a smart deflection but Ireland held on to stay up.
It ended an, at times, frustrating week for the Irish boys who were competitive in each game and might have pushed on for a medal on another week.
They created numerous chances but lacked the cutting edge – perhaps due to no competitive warm-up fixtures and a three month wait since the school’s league season – to grab vital goals.
U-16 Boys European Championships – Group C final table
1. Russia 7pts (+12) 2. Ireland 5pts (+3) 3. Poland 4pts (-1) 4. Czech Republic 0pts (-15)
Well done Matty from all at CHC
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lisnagarvey | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | +34 | 22 |
| Banbridge | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | +20 | 13 |
| NICS | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | +1 | 13 |
| Annadale | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | +10 | 12 |
| Instonians | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | +3 | 10 |
| Mossley | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | -15 | 9 |
| Kilkeel | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | -8 | 8 |
| Cookstown | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | +16 | 6 |
| B. Harlequins | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | -32 | 3 |
| North Down | 9 | 0 | 2 | 7 | -29 | 2 |
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victorians | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | +18 | 22 |
| North Down | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | +18 | 18 |
| NICS | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | +6 | 16 |
| Portadown | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | +5 | 15 |
| Greenisland | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 13 |
| Ballymena | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | -2 | 11 |
| Cookstown | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | -5 | 11 |
| Priorians | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -10 | 6 |
| Knock | 8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | -10 | 5 |
| Omagh | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | -12 | 4 |