Luke Witherow helps Ireland to victory at the Euro Hockey Championships

Convoy native and ex Raphoe star Luke Witherow was part of the Irish men’s hockey team that qualified for an Olympic qualification tournament next year.

On Saturday, Ireland beat Ukraine 5-2 to win the Euro Hockey Championship II title in Dublin.

Ireland took the lead through a penalty corner converted by Shane O’Donoghue in the seventh minute, but as the quarter wore on the opposition came more into the game.

Ukraine got an equaliser on 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 the end of not only quarter one, but right up to half-time. The third quarter saw Ireland looking more on the front foot and coming back into the game.

Sean 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 Benjamin Walker field goal 4-2 ahead. And finally in the 56th minute Lee Cole converted a late penalty stroke to secure a 5-2 win. In doing so Lee Cole scored his ninth goal of the tournament to secure the tournament top scorer award.

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.