Ireland Deaf guaranteed a place in knock out stage
Competing in the European Deaf Futsal Championships for the first time, the Irish Deaf Futsal team have emerged as dark horses with wins over Belarus and Cyprus in their first two group games.
10th Nov 2010
Competing in the European Deaf Futsal Championships for the first time, the Irish Deaf Futsal team have emerged as dark horses with wins over Belarus and Cyprus in their first two group games.
With qualification to the knockout stages already guaranteed, the boys in green take on Holland tomorrow in their final group match.
Ireland v Belarus: 8 - 5
Throughout a tough opening game versus Belarus, the boys had their fans biting their nails in what proved to be a very difficult test. Despite falling behind twice during the game, they kept their nerve and it was only in the last few minutes of the game that they pulled away by three goals to gain maximum points. After the match, Captain Paul O'Callaghan praised his teammates, complimenting them on their work rate and the fact they never lost focus of the job at hand.
He said, "It was very tough in the first game with Belarus. It was nerve-wrecking during the whole game. Lads managed very well. It was very tough game and great team to work together, kept focus on with lots of pressure during the whole game. When it came up with losing score 4-3 then finding it difficult to beat until the last 10 minutes before it's over we finally beat with 8-5."
Ireland v Cyprus: 12 -0
The Irish recorded their first ever clean sheet in competitive futsal as they ran riot in their second group game against Cyprus.
The Cypriots were no match for the fighting Irish who maintained a intense pace from start to finish with Joe Watson, a junior international player, grabbing a haul of seven goals.
In his post match analysis, coach Gleudson Junior was upbeat about the performance, complimenting the lads on the control they exerted over the game, "We were very patient and we took our chances very well. When the score was 7-0, it afforded me the opportunity to rotate the players to prevent injuries and also to provide our other players with some valuable international experience." The Brazilian also praised the lads on their attitude and discipline in the manner in which they recorded a clean sheet without picking up any bookings and stated that he "was eagerly anticipating tomorrow's final group match against Netherlands "which will bring the group stages to a conclusion and determine who they face in the next stage.
With qualification to the knockout stages already guaranteed, the boys in green take on Holland tomorrow in their final group match.
Ireland v Belarus: 8 - 5
Throughout a tough opening game versus Belarus, the boys had their fans biting their nails in what proved to be a very difficult test. Despite falling behind twice during the game, they kept their nerve and it was only in the last few minutes of the game that they pulled away by three goals to gain maximum points. After the match, Captain Paul O'Callaghan praised his teammates, complimenting them on their work rate and the fact they never lost focus of the job at hand.
He said, "It was very tough in the first game with Belarus. It was nerve-wrecking during the whole game. Lads managed very well. It was very tough game and great team to work together, kept focus on with lots of pressure during the whole game. When it came up with losing score 4-3 then finding it difficult to beat until the last 10 minutes before it's over we finally beat with 8-5."
Ireland v Cyprus: 12 -0
The Irish recorded their first ever clean sheet in competitive futsal as they ran riot in their second group game against Cyprus.
The Cypriots were no match for the fighting Irish who maintained a intense pace from start to finish with Joe Watson, a junior international player, grabbing a haul of seven goals.
In his post match analysis, coach Gleudson Junior was upbeat about the performance, complimenting the lads on the control they exerted over the game, "We were very patient and we took our chances very well. When the score was 7-0, it afforded me the opportunity to rotate the players to prevent injuries and also to provide our other players with some valuable international experience." The Brazilian also praised the lads on their attitude and discipline in the manner in which they recorded a clean sheet without picking up any bookings and stated that he "was eagerly anticipating tomorrow's final group match against Netherlands "which will bring the group stages to a conclusion and determine who they face in the next stage.
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