Match 3 Ireland vs Latvia

 Match 3 WC

Ireland 8

Latvia 7

Ireland needed a second over time period to overcome European counterparts Latvia on Saturday morning 

Ireland got off to a flying start when Luke Palmadesso  netted inside the opening minutes. The next couple of minutes of play were hardly fought until  Conor Foley doubled Ireland's lead with  8 left in the quarter/ After the Tv time out Lavia started to gain control and after a great save from Conor Kelly they eventually fired past Kelly   with  2 left minutes left in the quarter. With the final play of the first period Brian  Smyth slotted a fantastic goal leaving Ireland 2 up at the end of the first break.

Latvia took control of the tie early in the second quarter and narrowed the gap inside a minute. Two minutes later they had managed to level the tie.. After the Tv time out it was the Irish who took control again with Patrick Corbett netting before veteran Sean Gibson extended his side's lead. With Ireland in control Lavia managed to break away before half time to narrow the gap with their  fourth goal of the game.

Just after the resumption Ireland lost their influential Ruarí Dunbar to an injury after the first face off. After this tough strat Ireland managed to battle away valiantly in the tie and eventually netted again through Thomas Burke with eight minutes left. Latvia narrowed the gap to the minimum right at the end to ensure we were in for an exciting last term.

It was Latvia who came out firing in the final term and with three minutes left they had netted twice to take the lead as the final whistle drew closer. Straight from the face off Ireland broke away and Burke found the net meaning the tie was going to overtime ( first goal wins)/

7_7 G Burke  A Corbett 2 left

In the first period of overtime it was the defenses and the goalies who came out on top with Joe Walsh excelling in the Irish net. In the final period Latvia gained possession but Brian Smyth managed to dispossess the defender before feeding Tadhg O’ Riordan who gave the Irish a hard fought win.

Ireland have won their group and now play Peru in there final group game on Sunday night 

POTM ( Brian Smyth)

Ireland:Conor Kelly,Ruairi Dunbar,Tiernan Donovan ,Tadhg O'Riordan,Thomas Burke,Patrick McShane,Luke Palmadesso,Sean Gibson,Kevin Somerville,Conor Foley,Luke Maloney ,Gearoid Dunbar,Conor Shears,James Fennessy,Joe Walsh,Andy Meyers, Jack Galvin,Brady Morin,Patrick Corbett,Brendan Boles,Brian Smyth,Pat Smyth,Aidan Dempsey