Saturday, May 2, 2009

Pembroke edge battle with Rovers

Pembroke 2 (Justin Sherriff, Alan Sothern) Three Rock Rovers 1 (Lucas Piccioli)
Pembroke ended Three Rock Rovers reign as national champions with an incredibly tight fought 2-1 win at Grange Road with Alan Sothern netting the winning goal with a ripping drag-flick in the third quarter.


The game followed a similar pattern to the previous meetings between the sides this term, both of which saw Rovers hold plenty of possession but Pembroke looked more dangerous on the counter-attack and had the firepower to do the damage.

Three Rock hit the front early on with a tidily worked corner, dragged home from a switch to Lucas Piccioli. But Pembroke stepped up a gear in the second quarter and hit the front with a spectacular Justin Sherriff shot.

Charlie Henderson had produced a double save at corner time but was slightly off his line for the rebound. Sherriff picked up the ball wide on the left, pulled the ball yet wider, and zinged in an incredible reverse from near the endline.

From there on, an intriguing battle emerged between the 25s with Pembroke's defence once more impenetrable. Conor Harte produced a collecter's set of tackles while Colin Kelly denied the advances of Mitch Darling, Kyle Good and Andy McConnell on numerous occasions.

McConnell, as always, was a guiding light for Rovers, creating plenty of go-forward ball for the overlapping Garry Ringwood.

The upshot was Rovers' best chances came from their two other corners but Peter McConnell's drag was well saved and the second was not stopped cleanly. Sothern had given his side the lead in the meantime and left Rovers chasing the game.

Lots of pressure but little end-product meant they were denied. Pembroke, meanwhile, add another notable scalp to their recent list and on course for a clean sweep while Glenanne qualify for the 2009/10 EHL.

* For more of Adrian Boehm's pictures from the game, click here

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Rovers were the better team and were very unlucky.

Glenanne HC

Titch said...

I hope that comment is only by a member of Glenanne HC and not a comment by the whole club. People should put their names to post and not attribute a comment to a whole club. I'm a member of Glenanne but wouldn't concur with 10:59

Could also be someone up to mischief!

Anonymous said...

I'm also a member of Glenanne and don't agree that people should attribute their own thoughts to the thoughts of the club as a whole.

If you want to identify yourself as a Glenanne member fair enough but don't be that presumptuous to sign your posts as the club.

Anonymous said...

Photos????

Anonymous said...

I agree with the first post, i was at the match and they were realy unlucky. TRR looked tired and i hope they go to the EHL next season.
Not a TRR member

Anonymous said...

Pembroke didn't get a clean sweep they lost he senior cup to chc.