Probably, say, by 2002, hockey umpires - like their brethren in other field sports - will have the assistance of action replays to determine the validity of grey-area goals.
There were doubts as to whether Christian Judd got a touch to a free from Gordon Elliott to give Three Rock Rovers a 2-0 advantage against Glenanne in the 55th minute of the Leinster Senior League game at Grange Road on Saturday. Cameras would have shown whether that thrust should have virtually decided that all three points went to Rovers.
If the score had remained 1-0, there was the possibility that Glenanne would have salvaged a draw as, by the end, their shortcorner tally had mounted to eight. Yet, Rovers' win was merited as they were sharper in both defence and attack. Shane Davy had the measure of Stephen Butler's drag flicks while the ubiquitous Alan Bothwell, who also foiled Graham Shaw at the near post, set up Judd to slot the home side ahead in the opening quarter. Other clear openings were created, notably by the dynamic Elliott, but Ian Clarke's agility kept Glenanne in contention.
Six of the neatest-packaged goals of the early-season campaign have been registered by Avoca, with their two at Serpentine Avenue on Saturday obliging Pembroke Wanderers to extend them selves.
Avoca managed to muster a full-strength brigade and, after a scoreless first half, Anton Scott and Trevor Dagg channelled the ball to the right spots for Nigel Kingston and Enda Gallanagh to produce the finishing stabs. But each time Pembroke responded with maximum force for Stephen Stewart to deliver drag-flick equalisers.
It had been predicted that Monkstown would remain pointless but an inspired performance by their Shamrocks goalkeeper Glen Bailey earned his side a 3-2 victory over Railway Union at Rathdown. Railway won the short-corner count, 19-2, but it was only in the closing stages that Graham Berry and Mark Henderson found the target from setpiece second phases after Monkstown had slipped well clear through Ian Allen, Cliff Bailey and Greg Heger.
