ISC Final: Monkstown 0 Pembroke Wanderers 3

Pembroke won the Irish Senior Cup for the first time since 2000 with a 3-0 victory at Belfield, preventing Monkstown from causing a third successive shock in this year’s competition.

Indeed, Monkstown faced a Wanderers backlash, who looked in a hurry to erase the memory of their league campaign. They began in dominant fashion and took the lead within three minutes when John McInroy got on the end of a good move to make it 1-0.

The Town looked a little overawed by the occasion in front of a packed out stadium and struggled to make many clear-cut chances even when Colin Kelly was harshly sin-binned. The best fell to Ian Allen who snatched at a reverse side effort when he possibly had the time to wind up for a more powerful shot.

They also had a penalty corner switch in the net but it flew in above the backboard and over Nigel Henderson.


In truth, though, these were only fleeting chances. Pembroke were in the ascendancy for much of the game and always looked as if they had a gear or two in reserve should they need to forge away.

Early in the second half, Ronan Gormley scored a drag-flick to make it 2-0 but found themselves under a modicum of pressure, mainly from the lively Gareth Watkins, when Paddy Conlon was sin-binned.

They held out and sealed the win when Craig Fulton slid home with three minutes remaining after Alan Giles breath-taking run to wrap up a comprehensive win. Tim Lewis took the man of the match title with a dynamic performance at the back while Conlon battled hard all day.

Nigel Henderson picked up the trophy on what was his last ever competitive game after an illustrious career.