Day 6 - HWC Rio Brazil 26/09/2010

Hi-res Gallery - Download here

Ireland finish 6th as Brazil Win The Homeless World Cup

Brazil won the Homeless World Cup on a rain soaked Rio day as they annihilated an off form Chile 8-0.

Ireland finished the tournament in sixth place and can be very pleased with their performances. It is a remarkable achievement for a small nation and sums up the quality of this Irish team and management that only Portugal of the European nations finish higher in 4th place. The caliber and of the Irish play was first class and their disciplinary record was excellent no cards were received by the Irish team.

The standard of the competition is rising year by year as street leagues develope around the world our lads have to be in peak form to compete.

Its been a tiring tournament playing 2 games a day under sweltering heat and each one of our players deserve the utmost praise for the way they dealt with the conditions. Our team was fit and ready had lady luck been on our side we could have lifted the trophy but it was not to be. Such is football.
But make no mistake these lads were a credit to the Irish Nation and by finishing sixth they have secured top seeding for next years tournament in Paris, France for a new team who will benefit from what these lads have done here.

“We gave it our all, nobody can ask for more, I am very proud and humbled to have coached and managed such a fine team."

Jimmy Bell (Team Manager)

Ireland 15-0 Canada
Ireland 14 -0 Rumania

Ireland 3 Mexico 5
Ireland 10 Cambodia 2

Ireland top group and entered 2nd qualifying group

Group 2

Ireland 8 Italy 4
Ireland 5 USA 4
Ireland12 Scotland 5
Ireland 3 Poland 2
Ireland 4 Russia 6

Ireland top the group and Qualify to meet Chile

Q Finals
Ireland 2 Chile 4

Play offs for 5-8 positions

Ireland Beat Ghana on penalties 6-5
Ireland draw with Kenya 4-4 but lose out on Penalties in sudden death 2-1

Overall position 6th

Team
Graham Tucker - Captain
Michael O’Connell
Paul O’Neil
Jordan Murphy
Karl Jess
Graham Griffiths
Brain Farrell
Ciaran Murphy