Double success for Russell and England 
(6/7/05) 

David Russell is the 2005 UK and Ireland individual champion. 

In a final held over to Sunday, the Putney player twice came from behind to 
draw 2-2 with fellow England representative Dave Pawsey. His second equaliser 
came in the final minute of normal time. 

Sudden death overtime couldn't separate the pair, and it seemed that neither 
could the ensuing shoot-out. 

The pressure was telling on both players in a marathon session of shots, with 
few conversions. However on his second effort in the sudden death round - the 
14th shot in total, prior to which the players had scored just once each - Russell 
secured a famous, and unexpected, victory by lofting the ball past Pawsey's keeper. 

England had earlier proved their overall strength in depth when a weaken side 
retained the team title. 

Despite being without several experienced internationals, the holders won all four 
matches, losing just one individual game, in the crunch tie with Scotland in the 
fourth session of five. 

The Scots, making their debut in the team event, needed the match victory, after 
England had clocked up three big wins earlier. However Pawsey hit individual 
semi-finalist Gareth Christie for six and Phil Redman gained a comfortable win 
over Mike Burns. 

And Paul Lawrenson – who had forced a draw with Kenny Beggs during the 
individual tournament – ensured an English triumph via a hard fought 1-0 win 
against Max Wright. 

That left Greg Dand's 4-2 success over the England pairing of Russell and John Brand 
(the new full caps in the squad along with Lawrenson) as a Scottish consolation. 

Scotland did though secure runners-up place ahead of Wales, for whom Phil Neill 
picked up a noticeable 5-1 victory against Beggs in their match with Northern Ireland. 

The province avenged last year's defeat against their southern neighbours to finish 4th
leaving the Republic in last place, to cap a disappointing tournament on the pitch for
the home nation, which also saw all four of their representatives eliminated at the group 
stage of the individuals' event. 

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All-England final in Dublin 
(2/7/05) 

Putney's David Russell was the main beneficiary of a semi-final clash between Phil 
Redman and Dave Pawsey at the UK and Ireland Championships in Dublin. 

The two favourites had been expected to meet in the final of the individuals' competition
but they were instead drawn against each other at the semi-final stage. And England 
colleague Russell took full advantage by claiming the other final place. 

Whilst Pawsey edged Redman on shots, Russell beat Scotland's Gareth Christie 2-0 
to advance to the final, which will be played on Sunday, after the team event. 

Pawsey had reached the last four courtesy of a 5-goal thrashing of Mike Burns in the
quarter-finals, whilst Redman comprehensively beat John Brand - his conqueror at the 
Milton Keynes Open - 5-1 at the same phase. 

The competition saw surprise early exits for Greg Dand and Kenny Beggs, each 
against fellow countrymen in Mike Burns and Simon Stewart respectively, whereas both 
had been expected to mount an outside challenge for the title. 

RESULTS 
Quarter-finals 
Dave Pawsey (ENG) bt Mike Burns (SCO) 5-0 
Gareth Christie (SCO) bt Simon Stewart (NIR) 3-2 
David Russell (ENG) bt David Lauder (WAL) 2-1 (OT) 
Phil Redman (ENG) bt John Brand (ENG) 5-1 

Semi-finals 
David Russell bt Gareth Christie 2-0 
Dave Pawsey bt Phil Redman on shots