England beat Ireland in both boys' and girls' matches, 3-1 and 5-1 respectively, on the opening day of the European Under-16 Youth Cup tournament in Antwerp yesterday.
The Irish boys gave an encouraging second-half performance and, with Robert Hanna and Andrew Walker in top form, looked capable of forcing a draw at one stage as Aaron Gill made it 2-1 from a reverse-stick shot. Robert Mackay had given England an interval lead which was increased by David Tyler, who also scored near the end.
In the girls' match, by the time Emer Dillon scored for the Irish in the 59th minute, they were already 5-0 down. They had kept the English scoreless for the first 24 minutes but a penalty stroke from Lucy Penfound broke the deadlock and Emma Lee-Smith doubled the lead just three minutes later.
Ann Panter (another stroke) and Vanessa Hawkins (2) added further goals in the second half before Dillon snatched a consolation score - Sarah Wilkinson had earlier missed a stroke for Ireland.
UNDER-16 EUROPEAN YOUTH TROPHY, A Division (Antwerp) - Boys: Pool A: Spain 3, Netherlands 1; Belgium 3, Scotland 0; Pool B: Germany 4, France 0; England 3 R Mackay, D Tyler 2), Ireland 1 (A Gill); Girls: Pool A: Belgium 5, Scotland 1; Netherlands 5, Spain 1; Pool B: Germany 3, France 0; England 5 (L Penfound, pen, E Lee-Smith, A Panter, V Hawkins 2, 1 pen) Ireland 1 (E Dillon).
