GDANSK, Poland -- Spains dazzling ball control, dizzying passing game and deluge of shots were way too much for Ireland. Fernando Torres scored a goal in each half, and David Silva and substitute Cesc Fabregas added the others as Spain beat Ireland 4-0 and eliminated the Irish from the European Championship with its most lopsided loss in 41 years. Spain, which leads Group C along with Croatia with four points, dominated the tempo and scoring opportunities through its quick combinations and precise passing. The defending champions completed an incredible 779 passes and took 26 shots -- 20 of them on goal -- in a performance that put it on course for a spot in the quarterfinals. Torres, who scored in the Euro 2008 final, put Spain ahead early after dispossessing Richard Dunne inside the area and scurrying past Stephen Ward before sending an angled shot over goalkeeper Shay Given in the fourth minute. Torres started over Fabregas as the world champions reverted to fielding a traditional striker after the attack was led by six midfielders against Italy. The Chelsea striker showed that a late season turnaround was no fluke as he became Spains third all-time leading scorer with 30 goals in 95 appearances. "We wanted to win, to make a better impression than we did against Italy," said Torres, whose team completed three times as many passes as the Irish. "From the first minute we showed the character to win." Torres first goal marked the start of Spains assault on the Irish, who had started well with Simon Cox forcing Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas into a tricky save in the second minute. "Unfortunately the goal for the second time after three minutes throws your tactical plan out the window," said Ireland coach Giovanni Trapattoni, whose team also conceded early in a 3-1 loss to Croatia. But Spains combination passing got better, leaving Ireland in a constant chase. Spain midfielders Xavi Hernandez and Xabi Alonso exploited every crack through the middle with pinpoint passes that were either spoiled by poor finishing, blocked shots or saves. "For the vast majority of time, we were chasing shadows," Ireland midfielder Keith Andrews said. Silva was a continuous threat inside the area before finally converting early in the second half. The Manchester City forward gathered the ball inside the area in the 49th before showing some patience by rolling a left-footed shot around two defenders and through Dunnes legs and out of the reach of Given. Given still made clutch stops on shots from Andres Iniesta, Xavi and Alonso, who pushed forward alongside fullbacks Alvaro Arbeloa and Jordi Alba as Spain looked for goals. "They are the best side Ive ever played against and probably the best side I will ever play against," Ireland defender Sean St. Ledger said. While Ireland enjoyed a brief spell of chances in the second half, with Casillas stretching to save a shot from Robbie Keane in the 75th, it was Torres who ran on to Silvas pass and held off Dunnes pressure to shoot around Given in the 70th. "That why we put him on, to do what he did today, to score goals," Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said. "It was an exemplary game for us in many senses. We played a very complete game. Fabregas, who scored against Italy while playing in an unlikely attacking role, received Silvas corner at the near side and sent a shot off the inside of the far post to complete the rout in the 83rd. Ireland will play its final match against Italy, which has two points and needs of a victory to advance to the quarterfinals. Spain can advance with a draw against Croatia on Monday. "To go out looking for a draw would be very dangerous," Del Bosque said. ------ Lineups: Spain: Iker Casillas; Sergio Ramos, Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba, Alvaro Arbeloa; Sergio Busquets, Xabi Alonso (Javi Martinez, 65), Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta (Santi Cazorla, 80), David Silva; Fernando Torres (Cesc Fabregas, 74). Ireland: Shay Given; John OShea, Richard Dunne, Sean St. Ledger, Stephen Ward; Damien Duff (James McClean, 76) Keith Andrews, Glenn Whelan (Paul Green, 80), Aiden McGeady; Simon Cox (Jon , Robbie Keane. Tom Rathman Youth Jersey . -- Top-seed Shahar Peer and Canadian Eugenie Bouchard advanced to the second round of the inaugural WTA Citi Open. Tom Rathman Jersey . Kirk Cousins: three touchdowns, no sacks. If preseason stats could be taken at face value, one could have fun cobbling together yet another Washington Redskins quarterback controversy, this one involving a pair of rookies. http... .ca. Hi Kerry, I enjoy reading your column - hope you keep it up! In the final seconds of the third period of the Winnipeg/Montreal game, Brendan Gallagher looked like he was attempting to get back on-side. [url=http://www.nfl49ersusjerseys.com/Womens-Marcus-Martin-Authentic-Jersey/]Mar... Martin 49ers Jersey . So is his surprisingly resilient team. The Pittsburgh Pirates steady No. Anq... Boldin Womens Jersey . Pauls layup with 22 seconds left in regulation sent the game into overtime. He played 42 minutes, adding seven rebounds and going 12 of 13 at the free-throw line. Denver had a chance to win in regulation, but JaVale McGees 6-foot jumper from the right side was short at the buzzer. WINNIPEG -- And then there was one. Val Sweeting, the 26-year-old skip from Vegreville, Alta., knocked off four-time Scotties Winner Jennifer Jones Monday night to claim sole possession of first place at the Canadian Olympic curling trials. But she says her young squad isnt going to drop that underdog moniker just yet. "We still like to think we are," said Sweeting, who curls out of Edmonton with third Joanne Courtney, 24, second Dana Ferguson, 26, and lead Rachelle Pidherny, 27. "Yeah were 3-0 but theres lots of week left and we dont have a playoff spot or anything like that yet." Sweeting was down three early but evened things up in six and stole seven points en route to a convincing 9-6 win over Jones. Jones, who entered the game in a tie for first with Sweeting, now sits in second at 2-1 along with fellow Winnipeg skip Chelsea Carey, who knocked off Ottawas Rachel Homan 9-8. "We just missed a couple of bad shots and lost control of the game," said Jones, who is trying to claim the one prize that has eluded her team, the right to represent Canada at the Olympics. "We battled back and won one today, this morning and kind of let one slip away tonight but well come beck sharper tomorrow." In the morning, Jones needed an extra end to finish off Middaugh. Homan and the rest of the womens field sit at 1-2. Saskatoons Stefanie Lawton picked up her first win 8-6 over Renee Sonnenberg of Grande Prairie, Alta., and Edmontons Heather Nedohin also picked up her first win 6-3 over Sherry Middaugh of Coldwater, Ont. Jones took an early 3-0 lead against Sweeting but got in trouble in the fourth end and then was heavy on a draw letting Sweeting to steal a crushing four in the seventh end. On the mens side, Jeff Stoughton made a great shot to tie their game but it wasnt enough as Kevin Martin extended his winning streak to two games. That puts Stoughton in a must-win situation for the rest of thhe tournament.dddddddddddd "Wasnt that something... youre just never safe," Martin said of Stoughtons shot, minutes after the Edmonton skips single in the 10th made it 6-5. "We had to make it a tough double and of course he made an incredible double and made it a close game." Brad Jacobs and John Morris also stayed undefeated. Morris, Martins former third, is curling with B.C.s Jim Cotter and he beat Calgarys Kevin Koe 6-4 and Jacobs, out of Sault Ste Marie, Ont., downed Winnipegs Mike McEwan 7-5. Glenn Howard, out of Coldwater, also beat fellow Ontario skip John Epping of Toronto 9-5, which left both at 1-1. The almost 6,000 at the MTS Centre had lots to cheer about as Stoughton made a difficult double off one of Martins stones to score three in the ninth. He missed another, perhaps even more difficult, multiple takeout in the sixth that could have given him four but he had to settle for one. Stoughton knows he has no more room left to lose another game, with all agreeing a record of 5-2 is probably a must to make the playoffs. "I would think so. Its not where we wanted to be after two games," he said. "Weve played worse and won." He has already said this will be the last time he tries to win a spot on the Olympic team. "Theres five games left . . Were not out of this by any means." Martin agreed that losing more than two looks like elimination. "Five and two is safe, four and three I dont think ever has been." Jacobs was enjoying the moment as well. "Its a seven-game round robin so every win is huge. You feel great to be at 2-0. You wouldnt want to be 0-2," he said. The Manitoba Curling Association and the province also announced Monday that curling is joining the CFLs Winnipeg Blue Bombers and NHLs Jets with a specialty license plate of its own, and part of the proceeds will go to the associations Curling for Life Endowment Fund. cheap jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '