Men’s EuroHockey Trophy II – Banbridge (IRL)
Banbridge were able to give club legend Eugene Magee the dream send-off as the Irish club won the EuroHockey Trophy II with a 4-1 win over TJ Plzen-Litice.
It meant they finished the season with every trophy on offer for them, adding a European title to Irish league, cup and Champions trophy titles.
Magee retires in the wake of the tournament following a glittering career in which he became Ireland’s most capped male player as well as playing in the Olympics and winning European Championship bronze.
Bann showed their goalscoring intent from the start with Hugh McShane scoring in the 10th minute. Jake Rowe added the next from a corner for a solid 2-0 half-time lead.
Johnny McKee made it three soon after half-time; the Czech side kept battling and got one back via Kryštof Šesták but youngster Matthew McKee closed out the tournament in style for Banbridge to take gold.
In total, they scored 42 goals in the process, conceding just three with Johnny McKee getting nine of them.
Eugene Magee walks off for the last time at Havelock Park. Above, Banbridge celebrate. Pictures: Paul Harvey
HAHK Mladost bounced back from a heavy final group game defeat to beat Copenhagen HC 3-1 and win bronze.
Marin Pejić got the only goal of the first half but the Danes bounced back in Q3 via Fabian van Oevelen to make it 1-1 and it remained that way until ten minutes from the end.
Then up stepped captain Josip Jazbec for Mladost; he scored from a corner and a stroke to put the Croats on course for the third place spot.
SG Amsicora pinned down fifth place with a lively 3-2 win over Gaziantep Polisgücü. Davide Giuliani gave the Italians an initial lead but quickfire efforts from Ali Akin Özkiliç and Yaghboub Bahrami swapped the lead in the 38th minute.
Almost instantly, though, the Italians were level from a stroke from Giaime Carta and the skipper then struck for the winner in the 41st minute from a corner – a run of four goals in three minutes between the two sides.
** All results, pools, and game stats below from the EuroHockey Club Trophy II, Men in Banbridge
