After 10 years of coaching Irish teams up to under-21 level, George Blackwood has announced his retirement from the international scene at the conclusion of the Junior World Cup in Hobart, Tasmania.
He has enjoyed considerable success, from guiding Ireland to victory over Germany in the Youth Olympics in Bath to taking the laurels in the European (B division) championship in Padua.
In Hobart, he experienced the ups and downs of coaching to the full as Ireland made a bold start by holding Australia to a draw and barely going under to England before losing their impetus and eventually finishing 14th as a result of Saturday's 3-2 defeat by Scotland.
It was an irony that after Niall Stoute plundered a "golden goal" 20 seconds from the end of extra time, it was the Scottish coach David Stott who made a presentation to Blackwood to mark his retirement and his 75th game in charge of an Irish squad.
It was a match Ireland should have sewn up, according to Irish manager Steven Hiles. But after taking a 2-0 half-time lead through Ian Allen and John Jermyn, the captain David Eakins had a penalty stroke saved. Then Scotland hit back to level matters and, despite the defiance of Mark Ruddle, snatched the spoils. India, who had beaten Scotland 7-1 in the initial stages, won the trophy with a 6-1 victory over Argentina in yesterday's final.
On the home front, young players continue to make their mark in senior circles. UCD introduced Gavin Burke with galvanising effect for the Leinster league match against Glenanne at Belfield, though ultimately the students could not match figures of the calibre of Stephen Butler and Graham Shaw as the Tallaght side ran out 3-1 winners.
Like Glenanne, Pembroke Wanderers - with a second-minute goal from Devin Donnelly - went on to seize a 2-0 advantage at an early stage of their game against Aer Lingus at the airport but the home side, with Brian Long to the fore, put the champions under a lot of pressure, illustrated by a short corner count of 10-1. From one set-piece Andrew Marshall reduced the deficit, but from a breakaway Gordon Elliott delivered an opening for the diving Paddy Good to score his second goal of the day before Brian Gray replied to leave the final score at 3-2. This flattered Pembroke somewhat as they approach next Saturday's crunch match with Glenanne.
Three Rock Rovers managed to break their losing run with a 1-1 draw with profligate Monkstown at Rathdown. Graham Dowling put Rovers ahead midway through the second half and with Ross Harris and Wendel Armstong frustrating the home side at short corners, it was only with two minutes to spare that Michael Trounce salvaged an equaliser.
The Trinity captain, Christian Judd, swept his side into a two-goal lead as they went on to beat YMCA 3-2 at Santry, gaining their first points of the campaign and reversing a midweek defeat in the Neville Cup. Colin Stewart, who will be coaching the Leinster senior team with Noel Keogh, notched a hat-trick in Corinthians' 5-2 defeat of Avoca.
