Lucas Piccioli’s incredible reverse-stick flick golden goal with just a minute remaining of extra-time retained the Indoor League for Three Rock Rovers, ending a classic decider with YMCA.
The Venezuelan international thought he had won the game for Rovers with a golden goal three minutes earlier when he first-timed home Mitch Darling’s cross but the ball was adjudged to have been slapped.
However, Piccioli was not to be denied a second time , finishing off a late thrust through the YM midfield before beating Iain Walker from the top of the D. It gives Rovers the perfect tonic ahead of their European Club Champion’s Challenge next week in Cambrai, France.
As reigning Tony Byrne Cup champions in 2008, the Rathfarnham club is Ireland’s representatives in European indoor hockey competition and Sunday’s win means they will repeat the journey in the 2009/10 season.
Earlier in the game, YM had fought back from a 3-1 deficit with two goals in the 35th minute. The old master Liam Canning scored a double while current Irish international Andy McConnell got a tidy short corner deflection to build up the lead – Graham O’Neill’s first YM goal the sole response.
However, Piccioli was not to be denied a second time , finishing off a late thrust through the YM midfield before beating Iain Walker from the top of the D. It gives Rovers the perfect tonic ahead of their European Club Champion’s Challenge next week in Cambrai, France.
As reigning Tony Byrne Cup champions in 2008, the Rathfarnham club is Ireland’s representatives in European indoor hockey competition and Sunday’s win means they will repeat the journey in the 2009/10 season.
Earlier in the game, YM had fought back from a 3-1 deficit with two goals in the 35th minute. The old master Liam Canning scored a double while current Irish international Andy McConnell got a tidy short corner deflection to build up the lead – Graham O’Neill’s first YM goal the sole response.
But two quick 
fire strikes put the sides back on terms. First, Will Powderly showed incredible persistence to scramble past Shane Davey under severe duress.
fire strikes put the sides back on terms. First, Will Powderly showed incredible persistence to scramble past Shane Davey under severe duress.Australian import Jacob Webber followed up with a perfect drag-flick 45 seconds later and the game was tied up.
The first period of extra-time saw lots of running but little goal-mouth action as neither side could apply the finesse needed to nick a winner. Rovers, though, finished the stronger for Piccioli and claim their second Indoor league title.
YM proved the surprise package, qualifying for the last four despite just one win in their first three group games last week. However, a 4-1 win over Avoca and an excellent semi-final win over Corinthian gave them a surprise final berth.
David Robinson was the star of that performance, turning the game on its head with two strikes. Andrew Sutton leveled for the reds at 3-3 but ace strike Webber netted his seventh goal of the tournament to decide the tie.
David Robinson was the star of that performance, turning the game on its head with two strikes. Andrew Sutton leveled for the reds at 3-3 but ace strike Webber netted his seventh goal of the tournament to decide the tie.
Rovers had an easier route to the final, ousting Monkstown in a repeat of last year’s final 5-3.
Tony Byrne Indoor League (Sunday) – All played at the NBA
Final: TRR 4 (Liam Canning 2, Andy McConnell, Lucas Piccioli) YMCA 3 (Graham O’Neill, Will Powderly, Jacob Webber)
Semi-finals: Corinthian 3 (Alan Blennerhassett, Chris Pelow, Andrew Sutton) YMCA 4 (Andrew Walker, David Robinson 2, Jacob Webber); TRR 5 (Andy McConnell, Lucas Piccioli, Neil Lyons, Mitch Darling, Colin Huet) Monkstown 3 (Ian Allen, Gavin O’Halloran 2)
Tony Byrne Indoor League (Sunday) – All played at the NBA
Final: TRR 4 (Liam Canning 2, Andy McConnell, Lucas Piccioli) YMCA 3 (Graham O’Neill, Will Powderly, Jacob Webber)
Semi-finals: Corinthian 3 (Alan Blennerhassett, Chris Pelow, Andrew Sutton) YMCA 4 (Andrew Walker, David Robinson 2, Jacob Webber); TRR 5 (Andy McConnell, Lucas Piccioli, Neil Lyons, Mitch Darling, Colin Huet) Monkstown 3 (Ian Allen, Gavin O’Halloran 2)
*For more pictures from the day, click here
17 comments:
Fantastic day at the indoor, very well run, with some great hockey, a great final that went right down to the wire, great to see the leinster youth involved, great for development, the only think missing is the ladies - why not take a winter break from outdoor hockey, judging on the amount of matches that were cancelled, maybe we should be looking to our european friends and play indoor in the bad winter months. Jan - Feb, it would be great for the game.
100% agree!
first div player.
Having played in the indoor this weekend and last, and with the weather conditions causing havoc up and down the country,i fully believe there should be a winter break. Indoor also creates many benefits for the outdoor game ie better touch/tackling and finishing.
I think people are jumping the gun on a winter break. This is not an normal year for weather.
It's not just the weather.Indoor will improve outdoor standards and is above everything else great fun!
Indoor is the 20/20 of version of hockey!!
What about those who don't play Division 1 hockey?
They just stop playing for two months?
no they start playing indoor.it will improve the div 2 players so that if they get promoted, then they have better basics etc. to hopefully compete in div 1.
global warming is here in full.expect many a games over the coming seasons to be cancelled around jan/feb. very much pro for winter break.
There was back years ago 3 divisions of Indoor when it was played in UCD and clubs could enter more than 1 team. So it doesn't just have to be a senior game. The teams would be seeded meaning any club could enter.
Anyone can enter the indoor competition. Trinity entered and they are DIV 2. UCD and Fingal didn't enter.......if the league is available to all Divisions, 1 & 2, then there can be an indoor league, with plenty of teams available...perfectly possible and to be honest, playing outdoor in December/Jan is a farce anyway...
The under 21 interpros are starting on Friday. Any news on the Leinster and Munster squads as I see the only squad up on the Irish Hockey website is Ulster. They seem to be the only organised province yet again!
the ladies u21 squads are listed on the hockey.ie website, but not the guys yet!! but hey its only the monday BEFORE the interpros
I played indoor up in wesley many years ago for the ladies and it was fantastic - they were midweek fixtures, one tues was for men the second tues were for ladies and I think that it was run on a league basis in the matches and the standard.
The men's U-21 squad has been named and sent to me but I haven't been able to open the file as I don't have work priviliges to update my Excel which will open .xlsx files. If anyone can open these files, can they please email me at stevie_findlats@yahoo.com
Congrats to TRR on the win. Thought Corinthians played the best hockey over the 2 weekends but were unlucky in the semi's.
One minor gripe however was the umpiring, although I don't think this is totaly their fault as they need proper training and they are out of practice I thought it would be of a better standard.
Good to see so many kids up playing, can only inprove thier basic skills.
Thanks again to Paul O'Brien and friends for an excellent job done.
Hi Stephen, Is there any news from the IHA on the rescheduling of ISC matches? Thanks
For anybody thats interested, I've got YM's second goal from the corintians match up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jr_kXnBaX0I
The qualities not brilliant, but whatever.
Anyway, its was a great tournament, its like the 20/20 version of cricket, except in indoor hockey nobody can say theres no skill involved.
Great game to play too, with huge pace and keeping the most interesting parts of hockey, and getting rid of the delays.
I wouldnt be surprised if this is the way forward for Irish hockey. Organizing a longer indoor tournament for the harsher winter months, and perhaps bringing the season further into the summer, which is really the time when its more fun to play and watch due to the weather.
Post a Comment