The second round of The Iron Games saw 10 teams – nine of which were from Irish construction firms and one representing the charity Haemochromatosis UK (HUK) – compete for the Iron Cup in soccer.

The 7-a-side tournament took place at Allianz Park (Saracens) in London on a beautiful summery evening.

Once again there was plenty of passion on the pitches, as two groups of five teams played a round robin competing for semi-final places. 20 hard fought 12 minute games led to semi-finals between Toureen Group and JB Structures Limited, and ECL Civil Engineering and Ground Construction Limited. ECL took their semi 2-0 but the other went to a penalty shoot out after 2-2, Toureen eventually taking their place in the final at the sudden-death stage.

Come the final ECL proved to be a little pacier down the wings than Toureen and that’s what made the difference on the night, with 2 ECL goals coming from flowing play down the right hand side. Last year’s soccer Iron Cup winners Toureen were unable to respond despite creating several shots in the last third of the game and bringing a couple of decent saves out of the ECL keeper. Groans from the Toureen fans were heard as the champions grip on the cup slipped away.

The soccer Iron Cup was presented to new champions ECL by Corrina Towers, Chair at Haemochromatosis UK.

David Head, Operations Executive at the charity, said “It was a great evening, I loved the fact that once again there was so much passion on the pitch. Charity event or not, those lads were all determined to win and produced some excellent and entertaining play. I’d like to express thanks to everyone that took part and again to the companies that have donated to enter the games. I must admit I felt for the Toureen team who have now been runners up in the two rounds they won last year – Gaelic football and soccer. However, a congratulations is definitely in order to ECL Civil Engineering for a well deserved win. I’m looking forward to the hurling tourney now on 27 July at GAA London.”

Funds from The Iron Games are being raised in order to create a new Genetic Haemochromatosis Education Programme. The GHEP has been created to educate healthcare professionals about haemochromatosis, and already two years of The Iron Games have raised almost £200,000 in funding towards this programme.