IRELAND WIN TITLE IN LAST SECOND DRAMA
FINAL – BRITISH BEACH POLO CHAMPIONSHIPS
Sandbanks, Dorset
The final of this year’s British Beach Polo Championships 2012 delivered a spectator’s dream as the closest of wholesale jerseys results was ultimately decided in the very last second of wholesale nba jerseys the game. There would never be a runaway winner here and the Wales team sponsored by Welsh gold company Clogau can take great heart in the way they played in this tournament having knocked out favourites England yesterday with the gutsiest of performances.
This match was only the second meeting of Wales and Ireland who drew 3-3 against each other at Glanusk Park last Summer in another nail-biting encounter between the Celtic rivals. If the organizers wanted to produce a thrilling climax to this tournament, in support of Help for Heroes, their hopes high were fulfilled in spades as Ireland eked out a dramatic win in front of raucous spectators to lift the title.
Ireland opened their account after 30 seconds with a well taken goal by Donnelly and from then on the teams exchanged a handful of goals with Matthews and Blake-Thomas snatching two between them to put Wales ahead. Ireland retaliated with a good solo effort from Higginson who was outstanding and Ireland’s key play-maker.
In the final minute of the chukka, Higginson was injured as lot what appeared to be a mallet head had accidentally struck him on the collar-bone, and for several moments it looked like he would need to be replaced. Fortunately, he was able to continue and the first chukka ended 2-2.
The second chukka saw Wales defending attack after attack from the Irish and were unlucky to concede a third goal from Higginson when the on-shore wind caught the ball from his shot and guided it in to make it 3-2 to Ireland. With barely a minute to go, Cooper managed to rob one of the Irish players with possession from which Blake-Thomas legend picked up and made a well aimed pass to find Matthews who brought Wales level to 3-3. Within seconds, Ireland were back in the Welsh goal mouth and some great defending by Blake-Thomas denied Ireland of what looked like a certain goal.
Into the third chukka with the score even, one could sense that this match would go to the wire. Ireland struck first with another solo effort from Higginson in the opening moments and from then on the game developed into a series of counter-attacks from spoiled possession. Ireland broke out down the right and Cooper wholesale jerseys China did extremely well to ride-off Donnelly who would probably have scored as Wales were caught with nobody in defence. Blake-Thomas managed to clean up, and a well executed backhand found Matthews 11-10 who scored to make it 4-4. Ireland Opener were then caught napping down the right and Cooper managed to craftily take the ball around the boards and slot home to put Wales ahead 5-4 with a minute to go.
The final chukka got off to a good start for Wales as Matthews increased the lead to cheap jerseys 6-4 with some nifty stick work from close range. Ireland replied within moments after Wales conceded a contentious penalty , and repeated the offence a minute later which allowed Donnelly to bring the score level at 6-6.
By this stage the match had 30 seconds to go and one could be forgiven for thinking that the cheering crowd had finished off of what remained of cheap nfl jerseys their nails, such was the tension of this encounter. The final word Jerseys though belonged to Ireland and with 1 second remaining Donnelly, with a neck shot from 15 yards, which passed under the ponies of the Welsh defence made the final score 7-6 to Ireland.
The season has gone well for Wales and prior to this they were undefeated in their previous five games. Commenting on the final, Wales Captain Ricky Cooper said, “Having played this team last Summer we knew it would probably go to the wire. We played some great Polo today and to lose in the final second is tough. They played really well. We’ve surprised a few people in this tournament and I’m proud the way the team battled through. There’s a lot to build on moving forward” antabuse tablets buy online.
Teams and handicaps:
IRELAND
C. Flood(Capt.0), N. Donnelly(4), G. Higginson(5).
WALES
R.Cooper(Capt. 0), R.Blake-Thomas(5), R.Matthews(4).