Monkstown refuse to buckle

MEN'S HOCKEY/Weekend round-up: It wasn't quite on a par with their exceptional 7-5 league victory over Pembroke Wanderers back in February, but Monkstown's 3-3 draw with the Leinster champions at Serpentine Avenue on Saturday was probably only marginally less satisfying for their new coach, Stephen Jackson.

Having already recovered from going a goal down in the first half, when Cliff Bailey equalised after Maurice Elliott had given Pembroke the lead, Monkstown found themselves trailing 3-1 with just 10 minutes to go, with Elliott, again, and Alan Sothern scoring for Pembroke. Monkstown fought back again, however, making it 2-3 through Brian Groves before Richie O'Malley equalised in the 65th minute.

Glenanne and Corinthians had more fruitful afternoons than Pembroke. Joe Brennan scored his third and fourth goals of the new season in Glenanne's 3-0 win over Railway Union, while Adrian Missen, Dan Williams and Robbie Byrnes gave Corinthians a 3-1 win over YMCA.

Rob Abbott scored a late equaliser for Clontarf at Mount Temple, after David Bane had given Aer Lingus the lead.

In Ulster, the Kirk Cup continues to resemble an exercise in target practice for the big teams. Last week, Annadale, for example, beat Newry 11-0, and on Saturday they beat Cliftonville . . . 11-0.

It would have been a whole lot worse only for the efforts of Cliftonville goalkeeper Tim Hogg who almost single-handedly kept the Ulster champions scoreless in the first 15 minutes.

Timmy Cockram scored six goals in Lisnagarvey's 10-4 win over Kilkeel.

LEINSTER LEAGUE - Division One: YMCA 1 (R Billings), Corinthians 3 (A Missen, D Williams, R Byrnes); Glenanne 3 (J Brennan 2, 1 pen, M Lambe), Railway Union 0; Pembroke Wanderers 3 (M Elliott 2, A Sothern), Monkstown 3 (C Bailey, B Groves, R O'Malley); Clontarf 1 (R Abbott), Aer Lingus 1 (D Bane). Division Two: Bray 1 (C Willoughby), Weston 1 (N Hipwell); Naas 1 (G Coe), Portrane 0; St Brendan's 0, St James Gate 1 (P Brown); Skerries 3 (T Noonan 2, A Earley), Suttonians 2 (S Fallon, D Ferns).

ULSTER KIRK CUP - Section A: Cliftonville 0, Annadale 11; Antrim 0, Banbridge 6. Section B: Lisnagarvey 10, Kilkeel 4; Belfast Harlequins 0, Civil Service 5. Section C: North Down 2, Instonians 3; Newry 0, Cookstown 4. Section D: Mossley 2, Bangor 3; Portadown 0, Raphoe 5.