Pembroke will return to European fare as league champions

MEN'S HOCKEY: Pembroke 4 Lisnagarvey 1:GREATER SHARPNESS, notably from Alan Sothern, and an aggressive display of goalkeeping from Pembroke's David Harte gave the Dublin side a tense but deserving Irish Hockey League win over Ulster's Lisnagarvy at Grange Road yesterday afternoon.

So Pembroke will represent Ireland again in Europe next year as they retain their title.

In a furious spell between the second and 11th minutes three goals went in. Pembroke scored first when striker Sothern delivered from their first short corner, which Lisnagarvey hotly disputed, claiming the ball was lifted into a foot.

But Sothern wasn’t for distracting and dinked the ball past the first runner, Johnny Bell, before driving the ball in from almost point-blank range.

Five minutes later Lisnagarvey had earned their first set-piece and, matching Pembroke’s sharpness, Tim Cockram stepped up with a beautifully placed drag flick low and outside the range of the considerable bulk of Harte.

The goal of the day, perhaps even the season, arrived shortly after Cockram’s equaliser. It came following a sweeping move from the champions’ goal area.

With Lisnagarvey probing in and around the Pembroke circle, Conor Harte plucked a loose ball into his control and instantly triggered a counter-attack up the left. Then followed a series of sweeping passes from Harte to Sothern deep in midfield and out to Alan Giles tearing up the right channel. Giles put the ball across, and all Maurice Elliott had to do was tap it into an open goal. The move from Harte to Elliott took all of five seconds.

The third quarter quietened down, and with a series of sinbinnings and corners the sides remained locked at 2-1. Harte in goal, especially at set-pieces, was majestic and dominant.

Lisnagarvey hit the woodwork, Harte’s helmet and stick but couldn’t close the deal, while Craig Fulton swept up for Pembroke’s fifth corner of the match on 42 minutes, switched to Sothern who flicked low to the goalkeeper’s left for 3-1 going into the final quarter.

By then Pembroke had the match under control. A penalty miss by Sothern following a mêlée around Lisnagarvey goalkeeper Davy Williamson didn’t knock the champions off their stride.

Then as if to make amends for the penalty, Sothern popped up with a clear shot from play as Pembroke caught the Ulster side pressing up hard and in numbers, leaving their defence open.

Sothern duly obliged with a free shot from mid circle for 4-1 and the retention of their IHL title.

Pembroke, league champions, and Glenanne, cup winners, play in Europe next season.

PEMBROKE: D Harte, A Giles (capt), C Fulton, R Gormley, C Harte, M Elliott, P Conlon, A McConnell, A Pritchard, P Good, A Sothern. Rolling subs: A Bruneau, D Molloy, K Treacy, S Furlong, M O'Connor.

LISNAGARVEY: D Williamson, B Waring, J Bell, M Robinson, J Lynch, P MacDonnell, M Raphael, T Cockram, J Gray (capt), S Arbuthnot, M Daniel. Rolling subs: P Martin, G Whitten, S McNiece, S Hunter, G Thompson

Umpires: A Grove, R Johnston.