Saturday, October 17, 2009

Rovers take thriller as favourites show their hand

Men's Division One:
Three Rock Rovers 5 (Sven Galjaardt 2, Peter McConnell, Patrick Shanahan, Peter Blakeney) Monkstown 4 (Gareth Watkins 2, Stephen Cole, Ian Allen)
An early contender for match of the season as Three Rock and Monsktown played out a cracker at Grange Road which left a very decent crowd on the edge of their leaning points throughout. Stephen Cole opened the scoring with a reverse-stick peach in the 15th minute from some brilliant Garteh Watkins' burrowing. Peter McConnell swept in a rebound from a duffed corner move; Sven Galjaardt taking the improvised shot and the influential Dutchman - now approaching some form of match fitness - made it 3-1 by the break with one particularly tasty first-time effort.

But the Town were rarely out of the game and were back in the game when Ian Allen snaffled a corner rebound. Patrick Shanahan restored the two-goal advantage with a stunning deflection from Galjaardt's cross before Watkins netted a stroke. Peter Blakeney tapped in Garry Ringwood's shot, again instigated by a pull-back from Galjaardt but Watkins ensured a nervy finish with a scrmabled fourth. A few late corners added to the drama with Blakeney plucking one off the line but Rovers held on for a fourth consecutive win.

Pembroke 10 (Gordon Elliott 2, Justin Sherriff 2, Mick O'Connor 2, Tim Lewis, Conor Harte, Alan Sothern, Maurice Elliott) Railway Union 0
Any derby day threat posed by Railway Union was neutralised early on by Pembroke as they racked up a second double-figures win from two Leinster league games and, coupled with their EHL success, have shown it will take some effort to stop them. Gordy Elliott, Justin Sherriff and Mick O'Connor all netted twice while Tim Lewis finished off the move of the game, sliding in after Justin Sherriff and Alan Sothern created a superb opening. Conor Harte scored a stunning reverse-stick effort too in a comfortable win.


Corinthian 1 (Chris Pelow) Glenanne 3 (Shane O'Donoghue, Johnny Goulding, Stephen Butler)
Glenanne bounced back from their EHL setbacks to comfortably put top three hopefuls Corinthian to bed at Whitechurch Park this afternoon. Stephen Butler was in top form, scoring at corner-time to go with a fine performance at sweeper in place of the injured Joe Brennan with Graham Shaw taking on the midfield work. Chris Pelow's goal had put the reds on terms at 1-1 but the Glens cruised clear in the latter stages.

Clontarf 2 (Andrew Poynter, Luke Hayden) Fingal 3 (Chris Neville, Adrian Sweeney, Paddy Gahan)
For the second week running, Clontarf were left feeling points were left unclaimed as they led twice in the North Dublin derby but Paddy Gahan's 60th minute goal broke their hearts as Fingal got the mark for the season. Andrew Poynter's quick hands netted the first for the only goal before half-time. Chris Neville's corner levelled the game but a counter-attack Luke Hayden goal put the Bulls back in the lead. Fingal had plenty of play but were being stung time and again by Clontarf's pace and could have been further behind before Adrian Sweeney rolled in at the back post for 2-2. And Gahan popped in Dave Bane's pull-back to take all three points.

YMCA 2 (Jacob Webber 2) UCD 1 (Jamie Tobin)
Jacob Webber's sharp-shooting continued YMCA's unbeaten start to the season as they took their chances to beat UCD for the second time in a week. He potted a short corner and one from play, assisted well by Andy Walker in the second half before former YM youngster Jamie Tobin pulled one back with the last touch of the game.

* Adrian Boehm's photos from Corinthian vs Glenanne can be found here while photos of TRR and Monkstown can be seen here

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

For everybody who wrote Corinthians are ending in the top 3this season, just visit a Reds match and you can see they are not up for that yet. Glens played alright in their new outfits (?) but not superb. Nice one to watch though.

Anonymous said...

Was O'Keeffe playing for Railway?

Anonymous said...

Who did you get your facts from in the chc v glens game. Firstly butlers corner was a lucky deflection off the chc number1 runner and looped in. Secondly he didn't play in midfield he played centre defence for the whole game. And thirdly Glenanne were not cruising at any time in the game. Chc put them upto it the whole way through and were very unlucky to not come away with a result as they had many chances!

Anonymous said...

love the way previous posts on this blog by people had talked railway up saying they would take points off pembroke.Pembroke look unreal at the moment dunno who's gonna stop them

Anonymous said...

Steve is there any guidelines of what is to happen when the irish team is away, in regard to playing (or not) leinster league matches? are they to be played regardless?

Anonymous said...

what happened to railway? gone from drawing with corithians to getting handed a hammering of these proportions?

Anonymous said...

Butler played Sweeper and Shaw played midfield Stephen.

Glenanne were pretty impressive overall. Did not do anything to fancy but were solid at the back and clinical up top.

Anonymous said...

Steve,re playing Leinster League games,during WCQ and international matches, teams will be granted refixes provided LB Rules re refixes are adhered too.Clubs have already being granted refixes for U-16,U-18 interpros.

Anonymous said...

Re Corinthian v Glens (1-3).
Same old same old.
'Old'v 'New're penalty corners!! No contest.Butler was imperious this time as sweeper in place of the injured Joe Brennan.
Not a great game,Glens did enough to win. Next week Glens v TRR.

Anonymous said...

i believe that railway were missing their no. 1 GK stephen o'keefe.drawing with corinthians at home is a little different to playing pembroke away who have nearly their whole squad playing/played for their national team.its only three points lost in the end of the day.the scoreline doesnt matter too much especially against pembroke.

Unknown said...
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Anonymous said...

Railway really missed steven o'Keefe in goals against pembroke.

Anonymous said...

dats u shanny ba!!
do it for da munster!!!

Anonymous said...

what happened to railway?the answer is pembroke happened.

Anonymous said...

Corinthains put back in their place

Anonymous said...

So much for Eddie 'Fox in the Box' O'Malley yesterday. Corinthians didn't give him a sniff...

Glens were lucky to win.

Anonymous said...

glens were a better side for almost all of the match corintians had 2, 3 at best players that could cause glenanne any trouble!!!

Anonymous said...

UCD look to be improving each week, but it doesnt look like they have whats needed to finish out a game. They looked like they could have beaten YM twice and Monkstown, but couldnt finish the game out, which must worry McInroy.. The other thing is that Ross Gribben seems to be playing out of his skin in every game, and I dont think they can expect him to do that every game. He must have stopped 3 or 4 definite goals against YM on saturday. The positive thing is tho that they were missing one of their best players in Robbie McFarland on sat, and Tim Hill and Jamie Tobin seem to have formed a good partnership up front. Would have been ironic if Tobin goal was to take points off his old club. But overall they must start holding onto games better!

Anonymous said...

Why was Railway's keeper missing?

Anonymous said...

There is a more accurate account of the glens v chc game in the independant today.

Anonymous said...

o'keefe was sick for last while hence he missed the match.

Anonymous said...

Whether Glens "cruised" or "never hit top gear" (Times) doesn't really matter. Surely all that matters is final result. If chc are as good as they think then the school report would have to say "must try harder". The season's only started so there is plenty of time before the real exams

Anonymous said...

railway used two keepers and in fact both played really well, one even saved a stroke, considering they were playing pembroke, who are on fire at the moment,

Anonymous said...

They should have played them both at the same time.

Anonymous said...

the way pembroke are playing at the min, and with ym and fingal their next 2 games....they could KEEP hiting double figures (or at least something VERY close to it!!)

Anonymous said...

some comedian!! I gather you have never played in goal against Pembroke!!

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

Div 1 refix tonite Ucd vs Pembroke @ 7.15pm

Anonymous said...

you'd be a fool to believe these comments are coming from pembroke members, let alone members of the first team squad. A lot of people with too much free time and big wooden spoons around leinster hockey these days.