Bruised Ireland push on to quarter-final

Badminton: Ireland endured a long and sobering second day at badminton’s European Mixed Team Championship in Leuven, Belgium yesterday, but one that ultimately ended with the team qualifying for today’s quarter-finals for the first time.

Ireland had opened the tournament on Wednesday with a superb 3-2 defeat of the hosts, which left them with one foot in the quarter-finals and they faced England in their second a Group 2 game early yesterday morning.

England, ranked number two in the tournament, proved far too strong and claimed a 5-0 win, but Ireland were still good for a last-eight place as long as England saw to Belgium last night, which they duly did with ease.