Hook Hockey

Spain thrash Irish for 2-1 series win

Men’s Senior International
Spain 5 (Pau Quemada 2, Debanch 2, Santi Freixa) Ireland 2 (Ronan Gormley, Conor Harte)
Spain took the series laurels 2-1 overall as they showed the cutting edge to bounce back from defeat to Ireland a day earlier while Ali Smith made his international debut in Santander while Mikey Watt played his 100th game in green.

Spain-based skipper Ronan Gormley nabbed a rare goal when he finished off a Conor Harte rebound at corner time in the 5th minute.

But the hosts regrouped and scored the next five goals before Harte pulled one back with 18 minutes to go to record a comprehensive victory.

Debanch leveled in the 13th minute and from there Pau Quemada, twice, and Santi Freixa added to another Debanch goal before Ireland belatedly got a hold of some ball.

Ireland’s U-21 men will play an England A over the weekend in a two-test series in Belfield (Saturday at 4pm; Sunday at 1pm).

Ireland: D Fitzgerald, J Bell, J Bruton, C Cargo, K Carroll, D Carson, R Gormley, C Harte, J Jackson, E Magee, M Watt
Subs: J Lynch, S O’Donoghue, P Brown, D Carlisle, A Smith
DNP: D Harte, S Cole