Ireland stunned Olympic bronze medallists Germany with a sensational comeback to secure a fine victory in the Hamburg Masters.
In yesterday’s tournament decider Ireland conceded a couple of first-half goals to the world’s third ranked team.
However, the home crowd was silenced as Ireland then scored four goals without reply.
Shane O’Donoghue claimed the first with a clever deflection and also had a hand in the best of the lot, which was finished off by Eugene Magee.
Ireland struck again through Alan Sothern and finally Sean Murray, the Lisnagarvey man tapping the ball home unchallenged as the Germans withdrew their goalkeeper in a desperate effort to find an equaliser.
Jonathan Bell and Stuart Loughrey produced some great last-ditch defending in the hectic closing stages to mop up whatever goalkeeper David Harte could not cover.
Ireland had already accounted for Spain and Austria in the tournament, leaving Craig Fulton’s charges with morale high as they look ahead to next month’s World Cup qualifier in South Africa.
Ireland: D Harte, J Jackson, J Bell, C Cargo, A Sothern, E Magee, S O’Donoghue, J McKee, P Gleghorne, S Loughrey, S Cole. Subs: M Bell, N Glassey, S Murray, J Duncan, L Cole.
