LAST UPDATE | 19 Jan
IRELAND MISSED OUT on a chance to progress to the Olympics when they lost to Spain 2-0 at the semi-final stage of the qualification tournament in Valencia.
Yet Ireland can still qualify on Sunday if they win their bronze medal match against Korea.
𝐀 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝟐-𝟎 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐞𝐧 𝐕 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧.
— Hockey Ireland (@irishhockey) January 19, 2024
Ireland Men fall short against Spain, but go again Sunday in their Bronze medal match!
Still a chance!
A win will secure a place in the Paris 2024 Olympics. #HockeyInvites #EnrouteToParis #Paris24 pic.twitter.com/cRIKuoSxX8
It was the second time in two days Ireland took on Spain in an Olympic qualification semi-final and this time it was the turn of the men.
The Irish seemed to have the weather on their side as the game took place in a wet and windy Valencia this morning.
A close and tightly fought first quarter produced few if any goal scoring opportunities but whatever chances there were both defences coped with well.
Spain looked threatening on their counter-attack and Ireland had to be on top of their defensive game to keep them at bay.
The second quarter produced no goals although the home side had the better opportunities. Ireland did have one penalty corner which Spanish goalkeeper Calzado cleared.
The third quarter saw the home side in the ascendancy, and they took the lead from a penalty corer in the 35th minute, initial effort was blocked at the post by Lee Cole. Rafael Vilallonga reacted quickest to the rebound to score.
Marc Miralles converted a second penalty corner in the 39th minute to put Spain 2-0 up.
Ireland continued to press to try and get back into the game as Calzado saved well from Shane O’Donoghue.
Yet Spain’s third-quarter double goal salvo was enough to give them the win and a place in the Paris Olympics.
Ireland go into a third-place match against Korea on Sunday afternoon.
Ireland head coach Mark Tumilty said the team “need to be more clinical at taking our opportunities in front of goal if we are going to achieve our target”.
IRELAND: David Harte, Luke Madeley, Shane O’Donoghue, Tim Cross, Lee Cole, Daragh Walsh, Nicholas Page, Sean Murray (capt), John McKee, Jeremy Duncan, Michael Robson
Subs: Matthew Nelson, Kyle Marshall, Peter Mckibbin, Jonathan Lynch, Sam Hyland, Ben Johnson
SPAIN: Luiz Calzano, Alejandro Alonso, Xavier Gispert, Alvaro Iglesias, José Basterra, Marc Miralles (capt), Jordi Bonastre, Pepe Cunill, Joaquin Menini, Borja Lacallé, Alvaro Portugal
Subs: Enrique Gonzalez, Marc Recasens, Marc Reyne, Ignacio Rodriguez, Gerard Clapes, Rafael Vilallonga
