Rovers leave Turkey with promotion – if not kit

Three Rock Rovers’ Turkish travails ended on a high yesterday after they earned promotion for Ireland back to European indoor hockey’s third tier.

Having fundraised extensively to pay for the 3,700km trip to Malatya, eastern Turkey, the Dublin side had to borrow sticks and goalkeeper gear from opponents for their opening game at the EuroHockey Indoor Club Champion’s Challenge II after their own failed to arrive.

That left netminder Stephen West playing in mismatched protective equipment that had to be taped together, while the side were donated just seven sticks so had to swap them with oncoming players when they were substituted.