Pembroke were left heartbroken as Marcin Michniak’s deflected goal thirty seconds from time dumped the Dublin side out of the Euro Hockey League in Antwerp. Needing only a draw to qualify for the 2nd round of the inaugural European competition, Pembroke threw away a two nil half-time lead to Polish side KS Pocztowiec Poznan.
Player coach Craig Fulton said afterwards he was absolutely devastated by the Polish side’s late show. “I’m really disappointed, we had the opportunity to finish it out but we didn’t do it. We played for 69 minutes and had our chances but we just didn’t do it.”
Prior to the match, Fulton said the mood in the camp was extremely positive after picking up a bonus point in Friday’s 3-2 loss to Egara – one of Europe’s top sides and a favourite for the overall title. Egara took the first qualifying spot on Saturday, beating Poznan emphatically 7-2 with a hat trick from Edouard Arbos.
Friday’s bonus point, therefore, meant a draw with Poznan would be enough for qualification. Fulton added “we outplayed them for long periods in the second half and played some of our best hockey.”
And the Dubliners carried that form into the first half against Poznan, taking a 2-0 lead – Ian Symons on target from a short corner and player-coach Fulton netting a rebound after initial efforts by Justin Sheriff and Alan Sothern.
The match turned, though, early in the second half, when a Symons’ drag-flick crashed against the crossbar. From the breaking ball, Poznan counter attacked through Piotr Mikula (pictured playing for Poland) who set up Krysztof Wybieralski.
From a potentially unassailable three-goal lead to a nervous 2-1 lead, Pembroke found it difficult to get back into the game and conceded again with 10 minutes left. In the tense final moments, David Harte saved from a penalty stroke while captain Paddy Conlon was given a two-minute suspension over a disputed penalty corner.
With Pembroke down to ten men, Poznan launched their late show, to knock Wanderers out of the competition at the first hurdle.
EHL Results:Friday: Pembroke Wanderers 2 (Fulton, Elliott) Egara 3 (Arbos 2, Schickendantz)Saturday: Egara 7 (Tubau 3, Romeu 2, Schickendantz 2) KS Pocztowiec 2 (P Mikula, Juszczak)Sunday: Pembroke 2 (Fulton, Symons) Poznan 3 (Mikula, Wybieralski, Michniak)
Interpro heroics mask structural deficiencies
7 years ago
28 comments:
Was it the knowledge that a draw was enough that kept PW from closing out the game at 2-0?
Hard to tell from the highlights but it looked like there were some tight decisions going against them.
It is scarily reminiscent of what happened to Ireland at the Europeans.... great effort and performances against the top sides (but we lose anyway as expected!) and then in the game that really matters, the one we should be targetting all along we're beaten and knocked out.
It can be no coincidence that both France and Pocztowiec were respectively hammered by the better teams, obviously focussing on being fresh for the only match that counted....
Ireland, Internationally and at club level are still sadly too naive and lacking in tournament nous!!!
It's very easy to post comments on a teams performances when you don't have the full story or haven't seen the full game, If you had you would realise that pembroke should have been 4 or 5 nil up by half time against the Polish, a margin that would have put the game completely out of question, big games are decided on small things and this game was no different. The attitude towards Irish hockey squads, whether club or international, needs to change. Who says it was expected to lose to the so called "big" teams? There was no great difference in all three teams, the one thing that set Pembroke apart from Egara and Poznan is that it was clear to see that they play top quality hockey at a high pace every week rather than the below par stuff we see in the Leinster league.To say Pembroke are "naive and lacking in tournament nous" is far from the truth, a team that can win the Club Champs two years running obviously has some knowledge of how to play tournament hockey!
Listen, there is no doubt that pembroke are a good tournament team, but the difference between them and egara and the polish is a team spirit. Its obvious to everyone on the outside pembroke are trying to buy success. A club that lets talent such as Davy Carson, Tim Hill,Steven Doran or Byron Dunne go deserve to be questioned. My only worry for the club will be when these players they have "bought" in leave. Where will the home grown talent be. I fear for the club because they have brought the standard so high, how fast will they crash down....paul.
Its unfortunate that a team made up of internationals (Pembroke) didnt win a single domestic trophy lastyear!(the Club champs is a weekend at the end of the season, teams should be judged on a whole season ie the league). Pembroke have about four homegrown players in a squad of sixteen. Whats going on there?
Paul, I think you'll find that Dave Carson was poached by corinthians with the promise of 1st team hockey, he wasnt "let go".Tim Hill will be back at Pembroke he simply found it difficult to break into the squad.Steven Doran is undoubtedly a quality keeper but had his differences with Craig Fulton and wasn't keen to lose out on another season of first division hockey.As for Byron Dunne,he was given many chances to be involved with the first team squad but chose to turn them down.Pembroke haven't "bought" in any players, Craig Fulton being the exception,but i think you'll find that all coaches in the leinster league are paid, wise up. Corinthians have used foreign players for years and the only reason it went unnoticed is because they weren't succesful like Pembroke.As for anonymous, With 9 homegrown players,yes 9, in the 16, i think Pembroke will be just fine when the TWO south african players leave!!
I feel that pwhc have let some people down but thats hockey and thats life. I feel it a bit harsh though to say that Tim Hill will be back. That club did not treat him well and if he is playing at three rock and doing well which he his , why should he return...thats the problem in my eyes. Using the word poached isnt fair either. As for steven doran iknow for fact he respected craig fulton, fulton did not treat him with respect.
You mention the two south africans, take fulton out, then the Hartes...that makes 5 players. And as for some comments regarding the players that left, why would byron dunne want to sit on the bench for a team who ousted him when they got new players in, and as for some of the other selection issues...hmmmm...certainly questionalble...i mean passmore really should, sorry i mean fulton should really realise that pembroke are not the irish team.
could you name the nine players. Not being cynical just trying to work out who they are. Giles,sothern,flannery,lewis,gormely......can't think of any others
it just goes to show you, you cant buy success.admittedly they won the club champs for the past 2 years but what else did pembroke win last year? glenanne won every competition apart from the club champs. and will be representing ireland in europe next easter nd the very best of luck to them, they are a top team.
giles, flannery, lewis, gormley and sothern some of the best young players in ireland at the moment. not to mention nigel henderson, an irish hockey legend. pembroke are producing some very good young players and backing these up with good players brought in, reminiscent of the top premiership football clubs. would these players have improved as much without training at such a high level? davey harte certainly has benefited from the opportunity to train with henderson as seen in manchester. unfortunately then there will always be casualties but we need to be raising the standards of the teams and not demanding players are homegrown. and to say players are bought in is ridiculous, as mentioned before fulton is the only one being paid. having the best coach, the best pitch, the best facilities and the best team is naturally going to attract players, no financial incentive is required.
i think the more important question is how can ireland's top club sides consistently do so badly in european competitions? the need for an all ireand league is now greater than ever (ireland were the only country represented at the tournament who dont have a national league) the top players moving to the top sides and foreign players joining will be good for the league and in time the national side. it has worked for belgium where the whole standard got raised and young players learned that to make it they had to step up to a higher level and move out of the comfort zone of 'club' hockey.
timmy hill had a tough season last year and to an extent he was let go. everyone in the club wishes him all the best and hope he does well with rovers. it would be great if he return but we don't expect him too. that's sport, players come and go but at least pembroke have the decency not to struggle over players as has been evident all through the summer by some clubs, and respect the players wishes. at least that way you still see them around the club and the stay friends with ex-teammates. i think both doran and timmy would vouch for this
Who scored the goals in Europe: Fulton (South Africa), Symons (South Africa), Elliott (Formerly Three rock rovers). And then ask yourself, who else would have been likely to score? Answer: Justin Sherriff (formerly Monkstown). No homegrown quality. Im tired of Pembroke and their attitude, just look at the postings above. Its quite clear that there is alot of unrest in the club, and alota guys feel they've been treated unfairly. There's no tradition in the club anymore, no loyalty. All of this goes with an arrogant attitude on the pitch. All of this and they cant even win the Leinster League or Cup. Pembroke have serious problems, unfortunately they are very deep-rooted problems too. And is Gormley homegrown? As far as i know he lived in England until he was 15??
there are a serious amount of misinformed anonymous comments been made. nobody is being paid. its unfortunate that circumstances have led to players leaving the club, but its sport, people come and go and you just have to accept that. let timmy and doran speak for themselves, don't go putting words in their mouth. there is no crisis in pembroke, the team spirit (considering we've just been knocked out of a top competition) is as good as i've seen in my five seasons. and with regards youth development, in the past 5 years three of our homegrown players have gone on to represent ireland at senior level. only rovers has a record to match that. there was 8 homegrown players in the squad in antwerp and there are more scattered around the top clubs in leinster. there are a number of foreign players in every team in the leinster league i don't see why pembroke is any different to many others
I would put money on players like Giles and Sothern scoring for pembroke as they have done continously for the past few seasons....Posts like the above make me feel ashamed to be involved with hockey in Leinster, as a member of a club outsied the first division it is clear to see that Pembroke have got by far the best team and play the most attractive hockey that has ever been played in Leinster, they have raised the bar and instead of challenging them and trying to match it you have all resorted to petty comments and sly digs,its time for people to recognise when they see a good team and compliment it rather than be green with envy...also the homegrown players are Lewis,Sothern,Gormley,Flannery,Henderson,Kelly,Good,Wilson and Giles.
ha,reading the above comments make me laugh,for the amount that has been posted there was an awful lot of s**t talked,its obvious to see that
1)yes pembroke have gotten players in like the south africans and the Hartes but where else would they go to play?play under the best coach in Ireland,get to use the best facilities and play in a top team
2)people dont like the fact that pembroke have been the first team to bridge the gap at european level and actualy compete with top european teams,didnt glens go to bloemendaal a few years back to play Div A and get beaten by each team by a considerable amount,the poles put 7 past them??
3)players have come and gone from the club for numerous reasons,but speculating the circumstances as to how and why they left is completely wrong
4)homegrown players like Lewis, Sothern, Gormley, Giles, Good, Wilson, Henderson, Kelly and Flannery are evidence that the club produces top players, each of these players would play in any club team in Leinster,I'd certainly have them in my club if i could!
Hockey is a squad game,where 16 players are needed in a match and not just 11,whether somone sits on the bench for 40mins of a game or plays the full 70mins, it is irrelevant, if the team wins everyone wins,likewise if they lose,everyone loses....To say that pembroke have no "tradition and loyalty" and are "arrogant" is wrong...what many people call arrogance others call confidence,take Jose Mourinho when he was in charge of Chelsea,would you have called him arrogant or confident?its the same in all sports, nobody likes the team that is succesful...
i have a feeling that fulton is not the only one being paid at that club, who forks out the cash for him firstly?...abd as for the comment about pembroke not having to look to homegrown talent....that is ridiculus!!!every club has to...but if pembroke want to let players go thats their choice. It is obviously of benefit to the glens and rovers to have the likes of hill and doran on their team sheets.it most definatly will come back to haunt them. I can see why players who left are upset also...timmy hill gave them years of commitment and then left with the propect of a flick specialist....doran flew home from england to play for them on weekends and then dropped for a keeper who in most peoples opinions is at least on a par with him if not better. I hope the two lads do very well at their new clubs and deserve success.
For years playing against pembroke they have always set a target to other teams using thier own players...why did they change that??its a shame a club of that tradition lost their values so simply....
Maybe the lads should post acomment and get their real views!!!
paul
People are looking at this like it's a new thing. People have always moved clubs, especially to clubs who have a chance of more success. Look at Paudie Carley and Trevor and Ali Dunne, followed by Gordon Elliott and Justin Sherrif among others. Whether for hockey, work, study or something else it’s been happening for a long time. Those examples are just in Pembroke though.
In Rovers you've had the German player(s?) who followed the appointment of a German coach, new Dutch guy there at the moment for example, anyone saying that he’s denying a homegrown player a place?
The two SA guys at Pembroke weren't recruited to play hockey, would you come speciffically to play in the Leinster League? They came to work or to travel and went to a club where they knew someone already. Simple.
The Corinthians situation has been mentioned already. But the truth is that most clubs have benefited from players who've moved clubs. Fingal had a spate of Kilkenny players at one stage that moved up to Dublin to work or study. YM have always had a few blow-ins, both young Findlaters at one stage, Eric the Belgian who drag-flicked. It happens.
At the end of the day those that do make it at Pembroke are top class. You only need to look at the 2s for the calibre of players that are there, who play 2s out of love for the club and a great team spirit. I have no doubts that that 2s team could hold it’s own in the 1st division. It’s full of guys who’ve played 1s for Pembroke or elsewhere and still could. Indeed there are a lot that have bobbed up and down between 1s and 2s for years. They could play 1s at another club but chose not to. Pembroke 2s would be somewhere near the dogfight down the bottom but they’d survive. But that’s neither here nor there really.
So I guess what I’m saying is let’s have a bit of reality in these discussions and not slate a club or it’s people without considering all the facts. Also if you’re going to say something, be brave enough to put your name to it.
Patrick
The comment about Glenanne in Blomendaal is a bit farcical. We lost 4-1 to the German champions, 4-2 to the English champions and 5-1 to the polish champions when fitness took it's toll (agree with the second comment about pushing decent sides close but not winning games we should or could).
The Glenanne squad that went to europe contained mainly ''home grown'' talent with Ian Clarke the only one i can think of as a non-Glenanne youth member while a considerable amount came out of St.Marks community school which doesen't really recognise hockey as a sport.
As regards Pembroke they seem to have raised the bar and it's about time Irish teams started challenging more regularly in europe. However may i suggest that the rise in standard of the international team, certainly in world ranking terms, might be another factor.
Dave
The glens squad to travel to europe this year is all home grown exept doran. At least the glens will keep faith in their squad rather then going shopping for other talent just because passmore wants his national players at pwhc. Im delighted they lost in europe and i hope they suffer for mistreating players. Maybe the commtitee their need to take a long hard look at themselves also.
"Im delighted they lost in europe and i hope they suffer for mistreating players"
This is the kind of small mindedness that this site can do without. Steven Findlater has provided a great site for hockey in Leinster and all it you are using it for is a place to post mindless crap...wise up and think before you comment,glens have more players than just doran that aren't homegrown,what about brendan parsons,enda tucker??
Passmores national players from pembroke are homegrown bar the Harte twins, who came to Dublin to study in DCU...they are hardly going to decide to continue playing in Quins now are they?with pembroke not far from where they are living and with friends from underage sides in the team their decision to join wasn't too difficult.
All this talk of Pembroke buying players is nonsense!get over it!stop hiding behind your computer screens and do your talking on the pitch!
people are accusing pembroke of havin no team spirit?no traditions?buying players in?has it occurred to anyone that people choose to go to pembroke for what has been said already 1.the best coach,2.best facilities but more importantly the people.From what i know about the club foreign people are attracted to pwhc not "bought" or poached-that's really pathetic comment.And whether you would consider Munster based players "foreign" you may want to go check your geography books.John Jermyn joined pwhc for a season as have the Hartes due to study reasons.whats the problem with that?John moved to pwhc when they still had the sand based pitch and he is also one of Gormleys best mates and same goes for the Hartes with Lewis Hill and Sothern.The results at the weekend say alot about pwhc mentallity and spirit.any team iv been apart of can easily go to bray and dick around and win 3-0 3-1 etc.Only time will tell.who will cope with the loss of their internationals the best?simple-the team with the most depth in squads as someone pointed out pwhc 1's and 2's.So whhy doesn't everyone writing spiteful things here get off the computer and train as hard as the likes of TRR and Pembroke and do their talkin on the pitch.
Brian
Lads,
Its all a bit spiteful, i agree with al southern. Despite me leaving i still think alot of lads on that team and they dont deserve a slateing like their getting. Like al said...if u want to say something do it on the pitch...nuff said
doran
whats the problem with getting foreign players in?? id say there's about 10 altogether in the league so why is everyone moaning about them taking home grown players places! its a compliment for sides getting in quality players because it shows that this league is somewhat attractive. pembroke can do whatever they like, people talking negatively about it is hardly going to stop these players playing for them...they are the team playing champions league hockey, something that im unbelievably jealous about but the way to go about getting there is pushing yourself and your teammates rather than these stupid petty comments.they are setting a standard that all teams,not just in leinster but all of ireland,should push themselves too. if teams dont change their mentality to match pembroke then enjoy losing on a regular basis. at the end of the day, you're in the sport to be the best, pembroke are showing the way so it would be wise to follow suit.
moving clubs is grand if the player moving is wanting to progress. timmy's move to us was definitely the right move, and its paying off for him,getting in on the goals and playing brilliant stuff at the moment!the same goes for steve doran, being a keeper you want to be playing week in week out and with glennane needing some in,why not move to a top club.
bring on isc!
There is alot of talk about Pembroke being the Best team and how everyone should try and match what they are doing, But they only won a single major trophy last year!! Now I'm not saying the All Ireland is not a prestigious trophy to win and congrats to them for winnig it two years running, but They Failed in the Leinster Senior, The Leinster League and the Irish Senior Cup, They Failed to beat Glenanne during the normal season and even though they out classed them on the day in the All Ireland Semis you could clearly see that the long season (37 or 38 games) had taken its toll on the Glens players...
I'm not saying Pembroke aren't good they are one of the best in the country but they are not a class above all, There are other teams in this country that can easily match Pembroke on their day and beat them...
Kev
if in 5 years time Pembroke are still the only side to have competed at the Euro league it can be said they are the best side in Ireland. At the moment it is to hard to call with Glenanne doing particular well last year, Annadale unlucky not to win the Irish Senior cup and Harlequins not miles off the pace in the all-ireland final.
At the moment Pembroke are best equipped to challenge in europe as they have the better players technically while they have better facilities but lets see what happens.
Dave
ldave,so basically what your saying is that pembroke have to win the club championships 7 years running to be considered the best side in Ireland??because thats what it will take in order for them to be the only irish side to have played in the comp in five years time...the hope for all i would imagine is that a side like pembroke or whoever else represents Ireland in Euro club competitions does consistently well and gains enough points to allow entry for more than one club side from Ireland into the eurohockey league.The season so far is showing pembroke to be the side to beat,whether this will last who knows, but my money is on them to win a few trophies this year..
Simon
Sorry Simon i'll clarify because i didn't really make much sense. I was trying to say that at the moment i don't think Pembroke are by far and away the best side in Ireland with, in my opinion, Glenanne, Annadale, Harlequins and an few of the norhtern teams close to their standard at least.
i was disappointed that they did not progress in Europe because it would give Irish hockey a chance of having two teams in coming years and secondly i thought pembroke were a good bet to qualify anyway, so as an irish hockey fan i was unhappy to see them fail.
Pembroke are a top class side but i would encourage people not to jump the gun and declare them to be ''raising the bar'' and ''showing the way forward'' as i still believe there are sides capable of outperforming them.
All the same wouldn't bet against them winning ail this year!!
Dave
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