Monkstown hope to end their agony

MEN'S HOCKEY IRISH SENIOR CUP:MONKSTOWN ARE going through the same agonising process that neighbours Avoca went through in the 1980s and '90s. The south Dublin side are in their second Irish Senior Cup final since a 2008 defeat to Pembroke, but have not won the trophy since the days of the first World War in 1914, when they beat Queen's University 1-0. On Sunday they hope to break a latter day duck.

“We were in the final twice in the 1970s,” pointed out former Monkstown and Ireland goalkeeper Tommy Allen during the week. Alas a 1-0 defeat by Lisnagarvey and a 3-0 defeat by Queen’s on those two occasions put a triumph beyond Monkstown, who face twice winners Glenanne in Belfield.

Stephen Butler, the decorated Irish midfield player, will be looking for his third winner’s medal with Glenanne before he moves back to Belgium with his partner, Sofie.

Currently working in Ireland with golf equipment company Calloway, Butler has already signed a contract with Dragons, who he played with for three years before returning to Dublin.

He will, however, be lining out with Glenanne for the national league play-offs before leaving.

Glenanne’s Shane O’Donoghue will also come face to face with his father, Rory, a former Glenanne stalwart who is now coaching Monkstown, as they try to stop a talented and dangerous Monkstown team from denying them a hat-trick.

Glenanne will go in as favourites, given their status as a consistently successful side over the past 10 years with cup wins in 2001 and 2007.

Having taken out favourites Pembroke in the second round, courtesy of a Butler goal, Glenanne also go into the meeting without any injury concerns.

But little will be taken for granted as Monkstown have beaten an array of top sides this season.

Although they have had a good year, they have edged their way to the final and didn’t win any of their earlier round matches by more than a goal, although they have scored a bucket full.

In the first round their match against lowly UCD went the whole nine yards with the ’Town winning out on sudden-death penalty strokes.

Monkstown beat Annadale 3-2, Kilkeel 5-4, Raphoe 3-2 away and drew with UCD 3-3 before winning on strokes. The semi-final win over Ulster’s Annadale perhaps showed more than any of the other results what this Monkstown side is capable of achieving.

Andrew Ward and Ian Allen have scored in the last two rounds for Monkstown, while Gareth Watkins is one of four players up for the senior men’s club player of the year award in the annual Irish Hockey Awards at the end of this month.

For the record, Monkstown’s local rivals, Avoca, lost in four Irish Senior Cup finals in ’83, ’85, ’89 and ’93 before nailing it in 1996.

SUNDAY: Irish Senior Cup final – Monkstown v Glenanne, Belfield 3.15.