Draw-masters tie up Rovers; Sutton stay top

Leinster Men's Division One:
Three Rock Rovers 1 (Sven Galjaardt) YMCA 1 (Will Powderly)
Will Powderly's (left) equaliser notched YM's eighth league draw of the season as both they and Three Rock came within inches of sealing all three points at Grange Road which would have gone a long way to securing an IHL place for 2010/11. As it is, Monkstown probably were the happiest side with the result, especially if they prevail on Thursday night against UCD.

Both keepers pulled off excellent first half saves to keep the scoreboard blank; Stephen West denying Richie Pedreschi's close range volley while Iain Walker kept out a couple of corners in a low-key first half in which YM held most of the play but action was confined mainly between the 25s.

The second period was more open with a greater number of turnovers and increased space. Rovers took the lead when David Storey intercepted, fed Tom Samuel and he found Sven Galjaardt all alone 30 yards out. The two remaining defenders followed the runners to the posts leaving the Dutchman to enter the circle unopposed and rifle into the top corner.

Colin Huet came within millimetres of extending the lead when a well-worked auto-pass fed Patrick Shanahan on the endline and his first time needed just a touch. Huet's contact, though, was not quite strong enough and dribbled just by the upright.

And Rovers were made to rue that chance as the ball emerged from a melee on the circle's right into Will Powderly's path, unmarked on the left and he calmly rolled, reverse-stick, past the on-rushing West. Garry Ringwood blazed a reverse wide but former Rovers' man Charlie Carroll let slip the golden chance to take the spoils.

Luke Chadwick's cross had beaten the near-post defence and, with the goal gaping, needed just a simple guiding stick. Carroll had already had his hand in the air to celebrate before, much to his horror, realising he had struck to firmly and bunted the ball wide from whence it came.

There was still time for Pierre de Voux's (right) upright reverse to come within inches of a Ross Canning touch in the last minute as both sides rued missed chances.

Men's Division Two:
Suttonians 2 (Simon Walsh, Conor Gillett) Avoca 2 (Stephen Brownlow 2)
Suttonians maintained their place at the top of the division two pile as they fought back from a 2-1 deficit to stay three clear of title rivals Weston and Avoca with three weeks of action still to go. It was an exciting, end-to-end battle throughout, both sides enjoying purple patches but a draw was probably the justified outcome.

Simon Walsh gave the hosts the lead only for Stephen Brownlow to flip the lead by the 45th minute with two corners, one in the first phase and the second from a rebound. Indeed, his tussle with runner number one Walsh was mighty on its own as the flyer charged down a series of top D strikes.

And his side profited from those blocks when Conor Gillett equalised with 20 minutes to go and bounce back in reasonable style after last week's troubled performance against Dublin Uni.