MEN'S HOCKEY: Wins for league leaders Three Rock Rovers, Pembroke, Monkstown and Glenanne largely kept the status quo in the league order, with Pembroke's 4-1 win over YMCA combined with Glenanne's 4-2 victory against Corinthians giving Pembroke the appetite to seek a top-three position. Corinthians occupy third place, two points ahead of Pembroke.
But it was Rovers who probably best got out of jail after they went 1-0 down to Aer Lingus at Grange Road through a short corner from David Bane after 10 minutes. Gary Ringwood then drew a foul on a break into the circle and Peter McConnell equalised before the interval. Rovers turned over their visitors in the dying minutes as Ringwood touched home the winner.
While Monkstown's defeat of Avoca centred around a fine four-goal scoring spree from Ian Allen, with two in reply from Ezra Handleman in Monkstown's 5-2 win, the goals in Pembroke's home win were more equally shared around.
Irish striker Gordon Elliott struck from the penalty spot for the first with Peter Long and Simon Kershaw each hitting reverse stick goals and Alan Giles deflecting a corner for their fourth, with YMCA's Will Powderly replying.
Glenanne, whose four goals against Corinthians keeps pressure on Rovers to keep winning also spread their goals throughout the team. Although Corinthians began well, taking a 1-0 lead through Wesley Rothwell, Glenanne replied three times before the break. John Goulding equalised while Paul Fitzpatrick and David Shaw stretched it to 3-1. Graham Shaw took it to four on 39 minutes, with Miles Warren hitting Corinthians' second in the final quarter.
The win leaves Glenanne trailing Rovers by seven points but with two games in hand.
LEINSTER SENIOR LEAGUE - Division One: Avoca 2 (E Handleman) Monkstown 5 (I Allen 4, C Bailey); Three Rock Rovers 2 (P McConnell pen, G Ringwood) Aer Lingus 1 (D Bane); Pembroke Wanderers 4 (G Elliott pen, P Long, A Giles, S Kirshaw) YMCA 1 (W Powderly); Glenanne 4 (J Goulding, P Fitzpatrick, D Shaw, G Shaw) Corinthians 2 (W Rothwell, M Warren). Munster Senior League: UCC 1 (A Barber), Belvedere 1 (S Wolfe); Catholic Institute 0 Cork C of I 6; Limerick HC 0 Cork Harlequins 5.
