Glenanne dig deep to seal final place

HOCKEY:Dublin's Glenanne will meet Ulster's Annadale in the final of the Irish Senior Cup on April 1st. The Dublin side travelled to Farmer's Cross, where hosts Cork Harlequins had hoped to continue on the same path that saw them win the trophy last year for the first time.

After a week of controversy in Dublin, during which time Ireland and Glenanne midfielder Stephen Butler was suspended for receiving a red card in his club's quarter-final game against Cookstown (now appealed meaning he could play over the weekend), Glenanne truly rose to cup mode to come back from a 3-1 deficit and take the match in a fighting second-half performance 4-3.

At Grange Road, Three Rock Rovers succumbed 4-2 to Belfast side Annadale. Rovers also stepped on to the pitch after a week of controversy following the Leinster umpire's association decision not to officiate at their games following what they considered to be an abusive letter sent by a Rovers fan.

But Annadale are chasing their Holy Grail and despite being the strongest club in Ulster over the last five years, they have still not won the coveted Irish Senior Cup.

Glenanne's survival in the competition hinged on the spirited second-half performance they were able to deliver.

Indeed the Dublin side were lucky not to be more than 3-1 down at the break following strikes from Harlequins' John Hobbs, Davis Egner and David Eakins during the Cork side's best phase of the match.

Gary Shaw hit one goal against the run of play to keep Glenanne in touch during that first half before three goals in a 20-minute spell completely turned the match.

During that second half the home side critically had two players in the bin at one stage and shipped a red card at the end. But by then it was largely over with Eddie O'Malley, John Goulding and Brendan Parsons all added from play in a match where Irish midfielder Butler missed his first penalty for club or country for more than six years and his side earned only two short corners throughout.

For Rovers the two goals from Ezra Handleman and Peter Blakeney fell short of the four from Annadale where Chris Jackson hit two and Stephen Redpath and Iain Lewers added one each in the 4-2 win.