Hockey/ Setanta Trophy: The Irish men's team completed a successful campaign in the inaugural Setanta Trophy at Belfield yesterday by beating Canada 2-1 in the final, making it four tournament wins out of four for the hosts, who had already beaten the Canadians (3-2), Egypt (1-0) and Wales (3-1) in the group phase.
Germany, meanwhile, took the women's crown, the Olympic champions cruising to a comfortable 5-2 defeat of South Africa in yesterday's final.
The Germans' 3-1 victory over Ireland on Saturday had denied Gene Muller's side a place in the decider, but they finished on a winning note, beating Scotland 2-1 to take third place.
Dave Passmore, though, was entitled to be the more content of the Ireland coaches, his team ranked behind both Egypt and Canada going into the tournament but coming out on top.
Saturday's 3-1 victory over Wales secured Ireland's place in the final, John Jermyn's penalty-corner expertise yielding goals in the 17th and 37th minutes after Huw Jones had given Wales the lead.
Phelie Maguire sealed the win nine minutes from time, brilliantly deflecting home Graham Shaw's cross from the right, the hosts surviving the loss of both Paddy Brown and Jason Black in the closing stages after they were yellow-carded.
Canada had the better of the opening phase of yesterday's final, captain Rob Short twice testing Irish goalkeeper Mark Ruddle, but Ireland finally found some rhythm after the break, and Jermyn, once again, was the man who converted pressure into a score, dragflicking a penalty corner into the top left-hand corner of the goal.
David Hobbs made it 2-0 seven minutes from time, after Geoff McCabe's initial shot had been saved, Canada's consolation goal coming at the death.
The women's team would have lost by more to the Germans on Saturday but for some fine saves by Mary Goode in the Ireland goal.
Ireland, though, started the game brightly and energetically, Eimear Cregan giving a typically bustling performance up front.
Cathy McKean, Jenny McDonough and Nikki Symmons, who has played her club hockey in Germany this past season, also combined to trouble the German defence.
Ireland were rewarded for their impressive opening to the game in the 10th minute, when, from the second Irish short corner of the game, captain Linda Caulfield fired home.
But the Germans responded much as expected, gradually taking a grip of the game, particularly in midfield, and they equalised through Maike Stockel in the 22nd minute.
Ireland's second-half display left coach Muller unhappy, his team on the back foot from the off and conceding two goals in three minutes to end their hopes of creating an upset.
Both goals came from short corners, in the 44th and 47th minutes, the legendary Natascha Keller getting the first, Janine Beermann the second.
The team did, though, finish the tournament on a high, beating the Scots yesterday morning, with Cork Harlequins teenager Cliodhna Sargent cracking home a short corner nine minutes from time to settle the tie, the first goal of her senior international career.
By then Linda Clement had given Scotland the lead, after 18 minutes, turning home Louisa Munn's centre from the right.
UCD's Róisín Flinn levelled within two minutes, however, with the goal of the game, dribbling her way past three opponents in the circle before expertly firing home with a reverse stick shot.
Men - Saturday: Egypt 1 Canada 3; Ireland 3 (J Jermyn 2, P Maguire) Wales 1 (H Jones). Yesterday: Third place play-off: Egypt 1 Wales 1, after extra time. Wales won 4-2 on penalty strokes. Final: Ireland 2 (J Jermyn, D Hobbs) Canada 1 (R Short). ESB Player of the Tournament: Rob Short (Canada).
Women - Saturday: South Africa 2 Scotland 1; Ireland 1 (L Caulfield) Germany 3 (M Stockel, N Keller, J Beermann). Yesterday: Third place play-off: Ireland 2 (R Flinn, C Sargent) Scotland 1 (L Clement). Final: Germany 5 South Africa 2. ESB Player of the Tournament: Fanny Rinne (Germany).
