Facing against Belgium in Pool B, Ireland failed to score a third consecutive victory in their initial Pool A game at the Olympics. Earlier in the year, Ireland had succeeded in defeating Tokyo’s gold medalists in the Pro League, but as Belgium prepared to guard its championship at the Stade du Yves Manoir in Paris, they brought an entirely different game.
The Stade du Yves Manoir, formerly known as Stade Colombes, hosted the 1924 Games where Ireland first contested independently. This historical ground added a sentimental touch to this game.
Despite the significant occasion, Belgium managed to outperform Ireland who now look forward to another tough matchup against Australia. The Irish squad, despite their initial disappointment still found joy in returning to the Olympic games and contributing to the timeline of Irish men’s hockey. As David Harte, the Irish goalkeeper, stated, there are few things that can rival playing against reigning Olympic champions in front of a large audience in Paris.
Unfortunately, despite the strong performance from the Irish side, Belgium emerged as deserving victors. Harte highlighted that Ireland could have performed better, particularly when they were in possession. Ireland did manage to play a well-disciplined match, but Belgium’s effective attack and Ireland’s insufficient penetrations into the attacking sphere put intense pressure on the Irish team. Harte, as the goalkeeper, was spared the brunt of the pressure, fending off several on-target shots and a barrage of penalty corners.
Belgium obtained six penalty corners in the final 12 minutes of the game, with one successful penalty killing off Ireland’s chances of a comeback. Thus, Ireland suffered a defeat in their opening hockey match against Belgium, the defending champions.
It took Belgium 27 minutes to secure their first point, courtesy of an apparent lucky hit that saw the ball streak into the Irish circle. The goal was scored by Tom Boon, who managed to get his stick on the ball amidst congestion, causing an awkward deviation that saw the ball go into the Irish net. Boon’s scoring prowess was well known, having topped the scorer’s chart at the Valencia Olympic qualifier, where he netted seven times. Even though Ireland dominated much of the match, their attack was weak, enabling Belgium’s confidence level to rise as the match continued.
The Irish defence gave a good account of themselves against the reigning champions, considering the regular incursions into the danger zone by Belgian players. Key contributions came from Shane O’Donoghue and Peter Brown, who provided integral interventions. Belgium, however, knew that another goal was required for assurance and succeeded in their mission late in the match. This was done via a set piece: Tim Cross found the ball at his feet following a counterattack by Belgium as Ireland lost possession on the halfway line.
The decisive moment was when Alexander Hendrickx scored from a retaken penalty, executing an on-target drag flick that made it 2-0 late in the game. Ireland attempted a late counterattack, but nothing was substantial enough to seriously trouble Belgium’s keeper, Arthur van Doran.
Responding to the first goal, Harte expressed his disappointment regarding the circumstances of the initial goal. He also pointed out that conceding only one penalty corner to a team known for their expertise in this area was a silver lining, but emphasised the need for improvement in the way Ireland gives away penalty corners.
The Irish team’s next engagement is against Australia on the following Monday.
IRELAND team roster: D Harte, T Cross, J McKee, M Nelson, D Walsh, K Marshall, S O’Donoghue, S Murray, P McKibbin, P Brown, B Johnson. Substitutes: J Duncan, M Robson, B Walker, L Cole, N Page.
In Belgium, the following individuals are listed as part of the team: A van Doren, F van Aubel, G Boccard, N de Kerpel, A Hendrickx, F Denayer, V Vanasch, A de Sloover, A Kina, V Wegnez, and N Onana Alima. The rolling substitutes include T Stockbroekx, J-J Dohmen, L Luypaert, T Boon, and A van Dessel.