Glenanne keep title hopes alive

WEEKEND HOCKEY: GLENANNE KEPT their Leinster Division One title hopes alive on Saturday when they produced a superb comeback against leaders Pembroke Wanderers, recovering from going 3-0 down after just 12 minutes to take a point from the game.

Pembroke took the lead in the first minute through an Alan Sothern drag-flick and before their hosts even had time to settle they had added two more, Sothern scoring again from another short corner before Alan Giles made it 3-0.

Joe Brennan pulled a goal back for Glenanne before the break and it was, inevitably, Stephen Butler’s prowess from short corners that got his side back on terms, converting two to keep Pembroke’s lead at the top, with four games to go, to just one point.

A 3-1 win over Railway Union at Park Avenue lifts Monkstown up to fourth, on track for qualification for the Irish Hockey League – although Corinthian and Fingal are just a point behind. Eoin MacArthur gave Railway the lead but Monkstown were level before half-time, Alec Barrett equalising, before second-half goals from Brian Groves and Gareth Watkins sealed the points.

Fingal, meanwhile, struggled to a 4-2 win over Kilkenny, trailing 2-1 with 15 minutes to go before goals from Adrian Sweeney and Keith Crawford and a last-minute Glen Shekleton penalty stroke clinched the victory.

In Munster Church of Ireland and Cork Harlequins both had easy wins, C of I trouncing Catholic Institute 13-0 and Harlequins beating UCC 5-0.

ThreeRock Rovers retained Ireland's place in the EuroHockey Indoor Club Champions Challenge in Cambrai yesterday, avoiding relegation by finishing sixth in the eight-team tournament. Their 8-1 defeat of Swansea Bay ensured they would finish outside the bottom two, with Neil Lyons, Liam Canning and Lucas Piccioli scoring two apiece.

Therewhere no women's first division games in Leinster this weekend, however a 5-1 win over Ashton on Saturday, with Laura O'Neill scoring twice, saw Church of Ireland close the gap on Munster League leaders Cork Harlequins, now trailing by just three points with a game in hand.