Ireland get off the mark as heroic Sherriff fires a hat-trick

Ireland 7 Belarus 3

With a hat-trick from goal-scoring ace Justin Sherriff and further goals from Mark Raphael, Stephen Butler, Andy Barbour and Mark Irwin, Ireland go into the game against Wales with a degree of confidence, even though the Welsh themselves opened promisingly with a 4-2 win against Russia.

“In a competition of this nature, every game is a final,” Passmore said after Ireland’s win, adding: “The game against Wales is our next final.”