Monkstown point the way for progress

With professionalism on the fringes of hockey, a realistic and encouraging declaration was made on Saturday by former international goalkeeper Tommy Allen. The Monkstown team manager said players should in no way be paid, but that whatever funding was becoming available should be channelled into coaching at all levels. Monkstown, confirming sponsorship from Fujitsu, had immediately launched a large percentage of the newly-acquired funds into a coaching weekend conducted by Floris-Jan Bovelander, one of Holland's most renowned players, and his brother Jeroen.

Among the varied sessions was one for the club's colts, of whom 70 turned up on Friday evening and relished the occasion. Also in attendance was the under-16 goalkeeper, Paul Spencer, who dared to bring off several saves of substance from "Flop" Bovelander, the scorer of 215 goals in 241 internationals. Bovelander, having conducted a clinic for the first XI on Saturday morning, could see that Monkstown were the more lightweight team when when they took on the more mature Glenanne side at Rathdown after lunch and lost the Leinster Senior League points, 3-1.

Responding to the observation that not a lot of one-touch hockey was in evidence in the first half, in which tenacious defending kept the proceedings scoreless, the Dutch master said generously that such sophistication would come in time. He noted Monkstown's skills on the left flank, notably the probing of Cliff Bailey.

The second half sparked into more confident play as Graham Shaw, for Glenanne, and Justin Sherriff threatened to score from breakaways. Sherriff fired Monkstown into the lead from a short corner, but the visitors - with Dessie Farrell giving assurance in both defence and in going forward - responded immediately for John Goulding to pounce on a shot which had been parried from Paul Fitzpatrick.

Then, from a succession of corners, Glen Bailey kept out three of Stephen Butler's drag flicks, but the duel between these two young friends and rivals ultimately went in Butler's favour as he placed two of his missiles out of the Irish under-21 goalkeeper's reach to register Glenanne's fifth win out of seven. The remain Pembroke Wanderers' most menacing chasers. Pembroke gained their expected victory over Trinity at Serpentine Avenue, but, having led 3-0 at the interval, won by no more than 4-1 against doughty opposition. The upcoming fixture between Glenanne and Pembroke, incidentally, has been postponed until Sunday, November 30th, because of next weekend's under-21 interprovincial championship.

Meanwhile, Corinthians remained enterprisingly in the chase as they enjoyed an extravagant 4-3 win against Railway Union at Park Avenue. Tom Connell, with a dextrous touch, and Paul Armitage shot the Whitechurch side into a 2-0 lead. But Paul O'Brien quickly potted a goal in reply, and although Australian player-coach Colin Stewart then made it 3-1, Stewart O'Higgins defiantly reduced the deficit again before the interval. Stewart, who would be a useful recruit were he to play for Leinster, appeared to have wiped out Railway's resistance with his second goal as the game continued at quite a pace in the second period. Yet Railway, with a numerical advantage at one stage, refused to yield, and when Keith Walsh finished off a slick shortcorner move, Corinthians could not relax until the final whistle.