HOCKEY: Ireland unbeaten against Germany in two-game series

On Friday Shane O’Donoghue marked his 150th cap for teh Green Machine with a goal in the 1-1 draw with the Germans.

He was on target again on Saturday as Ireland recorded a 2-1 comeback win.

Friday’s game at Pembroke Wanderers also marked ul Gleghorne’s 200th cap for Ireland.

The Green Machine got the first of the game’s penalty corners but a mistrap at the top of the circle meant Shane O’Donoghue was forced into a reverse shot which Tobias Walter saved. Germany grew into the game as the half went on but Jamie Carr was in imperious form in the Irish goal blocking shots from Martin Haner and Julius Meyer. Kirk Shimmins had the chance of the second quarter, albeit from a tight angle, as he found himself in on goal but Walter was quickly out to block the close-range shot.

When the goals eventually came, only a minute separated them. O’Donoghue sent a drag flick past Walter in the 49thminute and Dieter Linnekogel equalized after some confusion in the circle but the ball was eventually bundled into the goal at the 50 minute mark.

On Saturday the first penalty corner of the game fell to Germany and Niklas Bosserhoff’s drag flick looked destined for the bottom corner but Lee Cole, earning his 50th cap, cleared the shot off the line.

The visitors edged in front as Timm Herzbruch fired a reverse into the far corner; Fitzgerald got a glove to it but the ball bobbled over the line despite Paul Gleghorne’s best diving efforts.

Two goals in the opening 90 seconds of the second half changed the look of the game. Jeremy Duncan bulldozed his way down the left side and sent a ball across goal which O’Donoghue deflected past Mark Appel. Moments later Matthew Nelson doubled his side’s tally as he shot past Appel following a good pass from Conor Harte.

But the German’s upped the pressure. Two PC’s in the dying moments could have spoiled the party but Jonny Bell made a superb save on the line to seal the win.