Davy Carson’s hat-trick puts Monkstown on brink of title

Davy Carson’s hat-trick fired Monkstown to the brink of a first Leinster men’s division one league title since 1982 yesterday at Rathdown as they outplayed Three Rock Rovers, winning 6-3.

It was pretty much a title decider with the Grange Road club unbeaten all season while the ’Town were in rude health, running up a 5-0 win over Corinthian on Saturday.

Andy Ward got them up and running with a rebound chance after Stephen West had saved an initial drag-flick.

Kyle Good and Gareth Watkins then exchanged passes to create the second goal.

Rovers replied with Paul Fitzpatrick scoring his first goal for the club but it was 3-1 at the break courtesy of Carson. A quick exchange of goals between Carson and Jonny Bruton extended the score to 4-2 before Richard Sykes’s high drag flick made the game safe with 15 minutes to go.

Bruton’s second was counteracted by Carson’s crowning third goal to close out an emphatic scoreline.

Should Monkstown win their tie at Glenanne next Sunday, they will win the title but anything less will open the door for Rovers.

Elsewhere, the tussle for top five places – and a ticket to the 2014/’15 Irish Hockey League – remains intense.

Following Saturday’s demise to Monkstown, Corinthian bounced back with a 3-1 win over Railway Union to get back into contention. Glenanne, however, have solidified their position in fifth courtesy of a 4-1 win over Fingal yesterday.