The former champions are not yet spent. Colin Hade whipped home the fifth stroke for Avoca in the shoot-out which decided yesterday's Stephen Doyle Trophy final on the bright new hockey surface at the Iveagh Grounds, regaining the Top Four laurels from Pembroke Wanderers and spoiling their unvanquished start to the season. Hade, as well as making no mistake with the decisive flick, also played an unstinting role in closing down the Pembroke attacks, although there was plenty of movement from both sides after a tentative start.

Indeed, with Avoca more assertive, Pembroke's first shot at goal, from Francis de Rosa, did not come until the 24th minute. Stephen Kinsella saved alertly but, just before the interval, he had no chance of foiling Andy Cooke from snatching the lead from close-in when the ball broke loose from a short-corner strike by Darren Hanna.

Avoca quickly got on terms after the break, with Enda Gallanagh snicking home a free by Hade, and they became the more forceful team, notably through Graham Dowling. Nigel Henderson, though, kept out set-piece rockets from the ever-menacing Anton Scott as well as David Hanna and when Pembroke broke down one short corner, Cooke stole clear to set up Darren Hanna to glance his side back into the lead. But, with barely a minute to spare, Trevor Dagg and the embattled JP Murphy combined to pierce the Pembroke cover and Brendan Shiels got the touch for the equaliser.

Henderson and Kinsella defiantly ensured that extra time was scoreless but the goalkeepers were out-gunned in the shoot-out.

Avoca: Mitchell; G Dowling, JP Murphy, N Kingston, C Hade; A Scott (capt), E Gallanagh. Subs: D Hanna, I Cox. Shoot-out marksmen: Scott, Keogh, Dagg, Hanna, Hade.

Pembroke Wanderers: N Henderson; A Kershaw, C Kelly, T O Siochain (capt), I Battle; D Donnelly, P Carley, A Cooke, S Stewart; T Dunne, D Hanna. Subs: F de Rosa, S Kershaw, A Thompson. Shoot-out marksmen: De Rosa, Kelly, Carley, S Kershaw.

Umpires: B George, D Stevenson.