Three Rock concede ground

MEN'S HOCKEY: While the top two places in the Leinster Senior League look secure with Pembroke leading and Corinthians chasing, the final top three position for a place in the All-Ireland play-offs in April is still open to a number of sides, with Aer Lingus currently in the strongest position at third on the table.

That Three Rock Rovers conceded ground over the weekend will be of some concern at Grange Road, especially as it came against Railway Union, a side they would have expected to beat.

But as Railway showed in their testy Leinster Cup semi-final last week, which they lost to Rovers, they are far from a pushover team.

Railway's 1-0 win, courtesy of Stephen Jones's strike, not only moves them nicely away from the bottom of the table, where the two university sides, UCD and Trinity, now reside but critically, puts Rovers outside the top three. Rovers now trail Aer Lingus by one point with just three games remaining.

Both Glenanne and YMCA, where Trevor Dagg picked up the player-of-the-month award for December, were held to draws.

It took a late goal from Michael Fry to pull YMCA back on level terms in their 3-3 draw with Aer Lingus at ALSAA, with Trinity sharing important points with Glenanne in their 1-1 meeting.

Pembroke, with Justin Sherriff firing in two goals, one of them a penalty, hit three against UCD at Belfield.

In the Irish Junior Cup, Corinthians must now travel to Annadale for their semi-final encounter, having beaten Raphoe 5-2 over the weekend.

Cork C of I's long journey North went unrewarded,however, when they fell 5-0 to favourites Lisnagarvey.

Cookstown came through with some ease against Instonian, their 6-0 win earning them a semi-final meeting with 'Garvey on March 6th.