Pembroke survived 31 minutes without a goalkeeper as they beat Cookstown 4-2 in Steelweld Park to start their Irish Hockey League campaign with a big away win.
Mark Ingram took a nasty ball to the neck that saw him taken to hospital. Without a replacement goalkeeper it meant Pembroke had to make do without a specialist between the posts.
But they kept a clean sheet in his absence, netting twice after Ingram’s departure – to move clear after the tie was locked at 2-2.
Handy winners
Elsewhere, in Pool A of the competition, Monkstown were handy 5-0 winners over Instonians at Rathdown.
It means Annadale, courtesy of their 4-2 win over UCC, are the leaders.
In Pool B, Three Rock Rovers, Banbridge and Lisnagarvey all have two wins from two, putting them on eight points while Cork C of I, UCD and Railway Union have yet to register a point.
Rovers beat C of I 5-0 at Grange Road. Banbridge ran up a 7-0 win over UCD. At Comber Road, Lisnagarvey beat Railway Union 3-1.