Are you a business who would like to see your name here?
Would you like to help individual players with sponsorship?
If the answer to these questions is yes then contact Hockey Wales now
Saturday 17th September |
 Wales
commenced their semi-final with two players unable to play. Simon
Organs Red card meant that he was suspended for this game and Captain
Rhys Joyce was unable to play as a hand injury sustained in his
green card incident in the game against the Czech meant he could
not hold a stick. This situation opened the door for Joel Evans
to get his first cap in this tournament and Alan Meredyth would
get his second international start. |
|
 The
second half continued as the first. Alan Meredyth played a superb
role in centre half but still the net remained elusive. As the clock
ticked down it seemed that the only place the ball would not go was
in the Austrian net. Seventy minutes arrived and the game moved into
a golden goal period. Immediately the Welsh pressured the Austrian
net and gain they could not complete. Again the Austrians broke away
but again the Welsh defence stood firm. However four minutes into
extra time Andy Cornick took the ball down the right wing and three
yards out crossed the ball onto Ollie Coopers stick and this time
he was not going to be denied. His fifth goal of the tournament brings
Wales a European medal. |
With just one defeat in this tournament Wales must feel a little agrieved that they finish in third place. With no team winning all their games they could easily have gained the promotion they craved. However with this result they move two places higher in the European rankings and seeded for the next tournament in 2007. |
From
the off Wales were in control. Two short corners in the same amount
of minutes showed how quickly Wales wanted to dominated the Austrians
However the forts went high and wide and the second wasn’t
stopped. A third five minutes later was successfully intercepted
and it looked like for the first time in this tournament the Welsh
short corners, that had been so successful in the group faze, were
not going top succeed. The game was almost completely played in
the Austrian half but the Austrians played the breakaway well and
in the 17th minute Armin Stremitzer completed the move putting the
Austrians ahead. After 20 minutes Joel Evans got his first chance
to perform and almost straight away got the Welsh a short corner.
However despite numerous shots on goal they were unable to finish.
However the continuous finally paid of as Ben Rogers got his first
goal of the tournament just before half-time.
All photography by Magic Moments
