Oisin Merritt and the Republic of Ireland Cerebral Palsy have qualified for the semi-finals of the 2018 IFCPF European Championships in the Netherlands.
Merritt scored twice in a 5-1 win over Germany yesterday after Ireland hammered Denmark 8-0 in their opening game in the tournament last week.
Merritt bagged a clinical brace against the Germans as Paul Breen’s Irish team maintained a perfect start to their group.
This evening at the KNVB Campus, the Republic of Ireland defeated Northern Ireland 4-0.
Gary Messett, Ryan Nolan, Jimmy Naughton and Darragh Ruane were all on the mark for Ireland.
Ireland’s final Group A game is against hosts The Netherlands on Wednesday evening. Both teams have qualified for the semi-finals, and the winners will top Group A.
Merritt had to have part of his skull replaced after a fall from a balcony in Spain in June, 2014, but in April 2017 he was given the go-ahead to return to competitive sport.
Merritt returned to playing hurling with Sean MacCumhaills and soccer with Ballybofey United.
Merritt was dubbed ‘The Miracle Man’ by doctors at Son Espases Hospital in Palma after a fall that saw him suffer a broken skull, a broken bone at the top of his neck, five breaks in his jaw, a broken cheekbone, a ruptured spleen and permanent deafness in his left ear.
