Ireland v Savona5
0 0 0 0 0 1 [1]
1 1 1 2 1 0 [6]

Ireland followed up their promising first game in the Savona Cup, with an extremely poor second against a good local rink here in Prague. With basically the whole team playing poorly it was always going to be a struggle to get anything from the game but when that was coupled with markedly different ice conditions from the first game it was well nigh impossible.

Add in tiredness & dehydration and the team would probably have scored better staying in their beds. The only saving grace in an otherwise insipid match was drawing the pot lid for the score of one in the final end but it was a game best forgotten and to that end we will be looking to pull down this match report at this first available opportunity.

Ireland v Albatross
0 1 0 1 3 0 [5]
2 0 2 0 0 3 [7]

A mixed team of Russians with a smattering of internationalists including the current Russian Junior World Champion were Ireland’s third opposition in the Prague-hosted Savona Cup. Rested after a poor display yesterday afternoon, the team played much better, but suffered from minor rubs and shots being off by a couple of inches in the early ends.

Ireland were one up with one to play going into the final end and both teams settled to play a ‘proper’ end with Ireland going for the steal and the Russians playing for two.

Ireland had their chances to claim the victory but very high tariff shots that were only just missed were their undoing. The Russian’s final shot was a controlled weight push back on an Irish stone sitting shot in the four foot but unfortunately showing by a third. The Russian skip Jarkova, played the shot with confidence and took enough of the stone to claim victory.

A loss but a much better performance. The team now have one game to play though their interest in the tournament has effectively ceased.

Ireland v Kazahkstan (T) 
0 1 0 1 0 [2]
0 0 0 0 1 [1]

Ireland opened up with a win in their first game against a mixed Kazahkstan team here in Prague today. Playing in the 22nd Savona Cup, the team started without hammer, and due to the 90 minute game limit and general slow play, stayed without hammer throughout the whole of the game.

The Irish play was generally solid, on fast, consistent ice and the two steals for one in the second and fourth ends could have been higher except for some mis-timed shot’s from the Kazak team that somehow conspired against the Irish position.

Although the team never felt under any real pressure during the game, the failure to gain any real traction on the scoreboard meant it stayed tight to the very end.

The last end was probably the Irish team’s worst as they allowed a head built up that could have threatened their slender lead but with four Irish shots in the four foot, the Kazak skipper’s last shot, an inwick off an Irish stone after a long raise, was not only difficult but highly improbable.

Ireland win the game 2 to 1.