Ireland won the EuroHockey Championship II title 5-2 on Saturday against Ukraine as they staged a second-half comeback at the Sport Ireland Campus in Blanchardstown.
Leadership takes many forms. Sometimes the leader inspires the others to do great things, other times they lead by example. Captain Sean Murray took the latter path.
Finding his side trailing at half time, he scored twice in the fourth quarter, once to equalise and the second to put Ireland in the lead.
Further goals from Benjamin Walker and a Lee Cole penalty stroke sealed a 5-2 victory.
As in the semi-final win over Scotland, Ireland were better in the second half, although they took the lead through a penalty corner converted by Shane O'Donoghue in the seventh minute.
As the quarter wore on, the opposition came more into the game. Ukraine got an equaliser after nine minutes from Viacheslav Paziuk’s converted penalty corner to make it 1-1.
Oleksandr Boiko gave Ukraine the lead with his converted penalty corner on 12 minutes and it was a lead they held on to right to half time.
The third quarter saw Ireland more on the front foot and come back into the game.
Murray scored a field goal in the 50th minute to make it 2-2. He got his second of the match in the 51st minute to put Ireland 3-2 ahead.
Ireland went further ahead in the 53rd minute through a Walker field goal. And finally in the 56th minute, Cole converted a late penalty stroke to secure a 5-2 win.
In doing so, Cole scored his ninth goal of the tournament to secure the top scorer award.
David Harte was voted goalkeeper of the tournament by the coaches and manager of the participating teams. Ireland’s captain Murray was voted player of the tournament.
Ireland: David Harte (GK), Charlie Rowe, John McKee, Kyle Marshall, Shane O'Donoghue, Sean Murray (capt.), Peter McKibbin, Jeremy Duncan, Benjamin Walker, Jonathan Lynch , Lee Cole.
Subs used: Luke Witherow, Conor Empey, Sam Hyland , Ben Johnson, Nicholas Page.
