Men\u2019s EuroHockey U21 Championship II-A (Poznan, Poland) \u2013 day 3 round-up<\/p>\n
Ireland and Poland are set for a huge showdown on Friday afternoon in the chase for men\u2019s EuroHockey U21 Championship II-A gold as both progressed to three wins out of three in Pozna\u0144.<\/p>\n
It puts them three clear of Italy with two sets of matches left in the round-robin group from which top spot earns promotion and a Junior World Cup spot.<\/p>\n
Ireland moved into pole position when they defeated Italy 4-1 thank to a trio of second half goals, extending their run to three wins from three.<\/p>\n
** Picture: Mariusz Jarz\u0105b<\/p>\n
Toby O\u2019Connell and Giovanni Faggian exchanged early goals and it remained 1-1 into the second half where the greens took control.<\/p>\n
Alfie Lequesne\u2019s penalty stroke was quickly followed by a corner goal from Ben Walker and Tommy Dobson completed the win with a couple of minutes left.<\/p>\n
In the evening game, it was far tighter for Poland as they scored with the last act of Q3 and Q4 to defeat Croatia 2-0.<\/p>\n
Emil Witczak gave the hosts a narrow lead in the 45th minute and the result was only put to bed in the last seconds by Karol Gumny.<\/p>\n
Povilas Sinkevi\u010dius\u2019s 51st minute goal earned Lithuania a 1-1 draw with Ukraine as both teams got off the mark in the second game of the day.<\/p>\n
Daniil Smaliukh gave Ukraine a second quarter lead which they held all the way to the 51st minute where Sinkevi\u010dius scored his 13 goal in 12 Under-21 international games.<\/p>\n
After three successive game days, Thursday is a rest day with Friday looking likely to be decisive. It opens with Croatia against Ukraine at 11.00 CEST, Lithuania versus Italy at 13.15 and then Poland against Ireland at 15.30.<\/p>\n