Dutch dash Ireland hopes

Holland’s ‘Mr Backhand’ lived up to his name to break Irish hearts as the world number three side snatched a late 2-1 TriFinance EuroHockey Nations Championships win over the green machine in Boom, Belgium yesterday.

Having seen Shane O’Donoghue’s drag-flick cancelled out by a similar effort from Mink van der Weerden, Ireland were on the verge of a shock result against a Dutch side who have won 46 of their 54 group games at the Euros.

But Robbert Kemperman — whose nickname derives from his fearsome ability to hit hard on his reverse — spun Eugene Magee and arrowed a crisp shot to the backboard to snatch victory six minutes from time.

Meanwhile, Lisa Jacob’s stunning breakaway goal proved vital as Ireland’s women edged out Belarus 3-2 to keep their semi-final hopes alive.

Darren Smith’s side led twice through Alex Speers, the first a superb first-time snapshot after Anna O’Flanagan had committed the Belarus goalkeeper, the second a reactive stab after O’Flanagan had rolled the ball onto the post.

In between, Volha Shyntar’s instinctive batted finished to the top corner had levelled it, but Jacob’s goal sealed it, expertly rounding the keeper after being picked out by Nicci Daly’s pinpoint 50-yard pass.

Belarus did make life interesting with another goal in the dying minutes from Nastassia Syrayezhka but Ireland held on.

Saturday had proved to be a mostly defensive exercise against the world champion Netherlands, Ireland going down 6-0 largely due to a glut of goals in the final 10 minutes.