ALTHOUGH forced into a shoot out by their hosts Pembroke Wanderers at Serpentine Avenue yesterday, Glenanne deserved to carry off the Neville Cup, adding the handsome trophy to the Leinster Senior Cup which they had also won for the first time earlier this year.

It was an entirely competitive brand of hockey, as has always been the case for this fixture. Glenanne, though, had an extra touch of sharpness exemplified by Devon Kehoe in midfield, which saw them take the lead four times.

Stephen Butler drove home a short corner after 20 minutes and had the chance to put his side two up when the swift John Goulding was taken out on the top of the circle by Charlie Henderson, but young Henderson (apprentice to his brother Nigel) kept out Butler's penalty stroke.

Pembroke started the second half with a full press, which yielded a powerfully delivered equaliser from Stephen Stewart. Then the game reached top gear.

Goulding swept clear to restore his side's lead, but Stewart again found the target from a corner. Ciaran Bolger put away Glenanne's third goal, yet Pembroke refused to concede defeat and the darting Ian Battle appeared in the circle in the last minute to make it 3-3 (and considerably boost the hot port sales).

Bolger forced an opening for Goulding to score his second goal in the first half of extra time but still Pembroke came back, and after Ian Clarke had foiled Andy Cooke at close range, Paudie Carley created the opportunity for Simon Kershaw to leave it at 4-4.

It seemed that Pembroke might survive the shoot out, with Henderson, notably, saving two strokes, but eventually when it came to `sudden death', Glenanne's assured youth international Butler put away the winner.

Glenanne, too, have been presented with a good chance of retaining the Mills Cup, with a home quarter final against Portrane, while Three Rock Rovers and Avoca meet in the plum tie of the Cable & Wireless sponsored competition on Janaury 18th.