Although, in the words of their captain Anthony O'Neill, "we played our guts out", Three Rock Rovers could not prevent Instonians from carrying off the Nissan-sponsored Irish Senior Cup for the second time at blustery Belfield on Saturday. Instonians recovered with such velocity from a startling 2-1 deficit as the final reached a stirring climax that they may well have the impetus from their 3-2 victory to go on and emulate Lisnagarvey by winning next weekend's all-Ireland league play-offs against Pembroke Wanderers and Cork C of I.
Then there would be the irony of Three Rock's survivors and apprentices playing, as runners-up, in the A division of the European Cup Winners Cup next year while Instonians compete in the B division of the more prestigious Champions' competition.
"Of course we still want the double," exclaimed Instonians coach Philip Anderson. "Yes, we may be a bit more relaxed but not too much so. We were very tense over the past few days. We knew Rovers could not be written off."
"They pressed us back and were dangerous on the break," admitted the winners' captain and player of the match Neil Cooke who probably will be the man to lead Ireland in the 1999 European Championship.
It was centre-back Cooke, having driven his side forward with time running out, who held his nerve to put two strokes out of O'Neill's reach. Rovers's gallant defenders could do no more than yield those penalties in the 64th and 67th minutes in illegally preventing the ball entering the net from a shot and a corner, respectively, by the ever-menacing Jonathan Atkins and the resourceful left-back Paddy Brown.
After a scoreless first half, in which the highlights were the resolve of the Rovers back four, notably the restored Rick Johnson, and a point blank-save by O'Neill from Atkins, it was Brown who gave Instonians the lead with a drag flick which went in under the crossbar in the 49th minute.
It seemed at that stage that Atkins, supported incisively by Mark Wainwright, was capable of increasing the margin - but Rovers broke away twice within two minutes to set the game alight. First, Gordon Elliott - looking worthy of joining Atkins when John Clarke chooses Ireland's attack - linked with Liam Canning in a lightning raid and, from the edge of the circle, slammed home a pressurised clearance from Tim Hogg. Then, Gary Ringwood put away a cross from Andrew Walker to give the numerous Three Rock supporters hopes of a joyous reunion.
Stamina and fierce determination, however, enabled Instonians to prevail, denying Robin Madeley the chance of becoming a rare Ulsterman - one who would have won a medal with a Leinster club. His duel with the equally accomplished Paul Hollway typified Rovers's resistance in a match which, admirably, did not see a single card being shown.
Instonians: T Hogg; C Kennedy, K Rutherford, N Cooke (capt), P Brown; M Wainwright, J Lewis, P Hollway; J Atkins, M Irwin, M Cooke. Subs: G Currie, S Reid.
Three Rock Rovers: A O'Neill (capt); R Johnson, A Bothwell, R Harris, S Walker; R Madeley, G Ringwood, A Walker; C Carroll, G Elliott, L Canning. Subs: C Judd, J Sleeman.
Umpires: R O'Connor, G Quail. Penalty corners: Instonians 11 (5+6); TRR 2 (1+1).
