Results from Day 2 of the IC14

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Day two of the IC14 saw the European teams battling it out again against some tough opponents. A mixed bag of results and some very memorable matches played.
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Ireland Banshees vs Tonga
Right from the outset Ireland looked determined to carry out the coaches instructions to be hard at the football and Tonga had the same ideas. It was tough and uncompromising for the whole 4 quarters and both teams are sure to be nursing some bruises tonight.
Ireland dominated for periods locking the ball in the forward 50 without really doing the damage on the scoreboard. The banshees roll on to tougher games from this point and a couple of injuries may impact the ambitions of the team. They are clearly improving and are being closely watched by the USA and Canada who will be their major competition.

Ireland: 3.1 5.6 7.8 9.9 (63)

Tonga: 1.0 1.1 1.1 1.2 (8)

Goals

Ireland: Corrigan 3, Hazley 2, Brogan, McGahon, Mahony

Tonga: Folauhola.I.V.Timani

Best players

Ireland: Hazley, Mahony, McCann, Keatley, Cassidy, Kelly, Dempsey

Tonga: Folauhola.I.V.Timani, Finau, Faka’ilota’u, Ongolea, Motuliki, Afuha’amango

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NAURU VS GB
The big bodied Nauru looked the more likely to kick away in the first quarter but defensive efforts from Will Worthington for GB kept the margin at a respectable 5 points heading into the quarter time break. Nauru had a player sent off right on 1/4 time and played with 17 players from that point.
The electrifying pace of Dagiaro Pilo for Nauru caused a lot of headaches for GB in the second quarter but it didn’t stop them from getting a goal back and going into half time trailing by only two points.
With a 17 point lead midway through the third quarter things started to look grim for GB. Two late goals to Harmeston and McGeever brought GB within four points and lifted the whole group. It looked GBs to lose.
Nauru shot out of the blocks in the final quarter with two quick goals to Opponheimer Kenneth in the first few minutes. Tempers ran high and a fight broke out in the Nauru forward line and some undisciplined acts by GB players gifted Nauru a third goal and the final nail in the coffin.
The scoreboard did not reflect the hard fought contest at the end of the match with GB eventually going down by twenty-one points. Anthony Trigg was instrumental in the ruck and Luke Matias didn’t stop running and tackling all day. This will be a disappointing result to the bulldogs who had hoped to improve greatly on their 7th place from 2011.

Nauru: 1.2 1.6 3.9 6.14 (50)

Great Britain: 0.3 1.4 3.5 4.5 (29)

Goals

Nauru: Kenneth 2, German, Charles, Tipung, Pilo

Great Britain: Willatt, Harmeston, McGeever, Maguire

Best players

Nauru: Tiana, Malinson, Jonas, Donatello, Dave, German

Great Britain: Ballard, Aburto, Worthington, Matias, Walton, Maguire

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IRELAND V FRANCE
The reigning champions and one of the favourites to take home the International Cup rolled out like a freight train in their match against the 2013 Euro Cup runners up, France.
Within the first ten minutes they had piled on five goals to France’s none and the game looked likely to blow out for there. The French midfield held strong lead by L’Hotellier and they went into quarter time six goals down.
The French picked up their game in the second quarter and had several opportunities to get on the scoreboard but were unable to convert. The Irish defence maintained control and sent it forward where their towering full forward, Padraig Lucey and utility Mick Finn, dominated and slotted a few goals to keep the French at bay.
The third quarter saw a French charge which the scoreboard didn’t reflect. They registered only two behinds despite the ball spending a lot of time in their forward line. French captain, Grégoire Patacq kept France in the competition but the game was all but lost by this point.
The final quarter was completely controlled and dominated by the Irish as they piled on another five goals to win by over one hundred points. The Irish are starting to hit their stride as the pointy end if the competition approaches.

Ireland: 6.2 10.5 12.7 17.9 (111)

France: 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.2 (2)

Goals

Ireland: Lucey 6, Finn 3, O’Regan 2, P. O’Halloran, McSorley, McCloskey, C. O’Halloran, Browne, Skelly

Best

Ireland: P.O’Halloran, Skelly, Finn, Stynes, Browne, Lucey

France: Canonici, Gazeau, David, Denerf, L’Hotellier, Gil

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Sweden vs Finland
Traditional rivals went head to head with talk that the loser may not return home. Emotions ran high early and Sweden seemed to control their efforts at the football and reaped the benefits with a first half to remember. The run and spread of the swedes really troubled the Finns.
The third quarter was a highlight of the Finns campaign so far when they halved the period with the swedes at 2 goals each. They celebrated the goals in style.
Sweden proved too strong for the majority of the day and sung the song with gusto in front of their traveling fans.

Sweden:  4.5 8.8 10.10 13.13 (91)

Finland: 0.0 0.1 2.1 2.2 (14)

Goals

Sweden: Brenmo 4, Lindgren 2, Martensson 2, Sund, Kvarnstrom, Skarlen, Gogu, Svensson

Finland: Kalliojarvi, Kupila

Best

Sweden: Navarro, Svensson, Brenmo, Magnusson, Martensson, Tellstron

Finland: Karlsson, Nurmikoski, Kupila, Puntilla, Lampi, Heiskanen

IC14

 

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