After all their tightly-fought clashes in recent seasons, Glenanne gained their most clear-cut win (3-0) over Pembroke Wanderers at Serpentine Avenue on Saturday to seize the Leinster Senior League lead from the defending champions.
Corinthians have moved into second place on goal difference from Pembroke and it was anticipated Aer Lingus would join them on the 13-point mark, but they were held 1-1 by Trinity at ALSAA yesterday.
With Stephen Butler in masterful mood for Glenanne, they established control after the interval. A free from Graham Shaw found space for John Goulding to nick the ball out of Nigel Henderson's reach for the opener.
Butler made it 2-0 from a drag flick. Then Pembroke's Gordon Elliott had a penalty stroke saved by Ian Clarke after which the visitors counter attacked and also won a penalty which Butler converted.
After Aer Lingus had outmanoeuvred Monkstown (4-1) on Saturday, it was a surprise they dropped points to Trinity. The students took the lead through captain Christian Judd, from a short corner, and with Stephen Findlater, Jamie Harte and Brian Scully to the fore, they contained the home side to a second-half set-piece equaliser by Derek O'Gorman.
Against Monkstown, after Shane Elliss had saved an Ali Murdoch penalty, the home side hit two stunning goals as Jim Dunne connected with a David Bane cross and then finished off an incision by Brian Long. Monkstown pulled one back through Murdoch but O'Gorman and Eamonn Bane added to the Aer Lingus tally.
The Irish Schools Championship gets under way today at Grange Road. The strongest challengers for Ashton's title are expected to be RBAI, St Andrew's and Wesley.
Results in SPORTS ROUND-UP
