Magee double seals 11th hockey cup final for Banbridge

Men’s Irish Senior Cup final

Banbridge 3 (E Magee 2, J McKee) Monkstown 1 (D Carson)

Eugene Magee’s pair of second-half goals secured Branbridge their 11th Irish Senior Cup title, beating the reigning champions Monkstown with something to spare at Belfield.

Indeed, the cup success was a logical outcome for the Co Down side who have, for the most part, been the standout club team this season with skipper Matthew Bell producing a performance to match.

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Jonny McKee had them 1-0 up from a fortuitous chance in the eighth minute before Magee doubled up with a thunderous volley in the second half.

Crackerjack

Davy Carson’s crackerjack of a finish belatedly woke Monkstown up after their slow start but Magee’s second put the game to bed with 20 minutes to go, rolling home Fraser Mills’s driving run and cross.

Monkstown toiled hard from there on, winning a number of penalty corners but a series of goalmouth scrambles did not bounce their way with Bell and goalkeeper Gareth Lennox cleaning up at every turn.

It keeps Banbridge’s treble hopes alive with their next port of call a midweek refix against Lisnagarvey on Wednesday evening in the EY Hockey League.

They currently sit second behind Three Rock Rovers by four points but have two games in hand while they also have an EY Champions Trophy playoff place.

Hectic

Add in a Euro Hockey League KO16 battle with Racing Club de France in Eindhoven on the Easter weekend and it makes for a hectic month for Mark Tumilty's men.

For Monkstown, they have ground to make up in the league if they are to reach the playoffs and earn a rematch with Banbridge, sitting three points off Cork C of I in fifth place.

Banbridge: G Lennox, D Carlisle, K Marshall, Ph Brown, M Bell, Pe Brown, M Allister, J McKee, E Magee, J Wright, B McCandless

Subs: S Farson, R Beattie, F Mills, H McShane, L Roleston, D Ward, J Rowe

Monkstown: D Fitzgerald, N Dee, D Cole, J Lynch, K Lynch, K Good, L Cole, D Carson, G Groves, G Cole, S Cole

Subs: A Ward, K Smith, R Quirke, S Hyland, D Poff, M Maguire, K Kenning

Umpires: L Allen, N Mackay