Pembroke possess too much know-how for battling Fingal

MEN'S HOCKEY LEINSTER SENIOR CUP FINAL:PEMBROKE PICKED off the one title to elude them last season as they showed far too much know-how for underdogs Fingal at Grange Road yesterday, steaming clear in the second half to claim the Leinster Senior Mills Cup.

Alan Sothern was tormentor-in-chief with two efforts which owed a little to fortune before Gordon Elliott’s neat tip-in and Patrick Good’s well-struck shot added the garnish late on. For the ALSAA club, there was no repeat of their only other final appearance when they were defeated by Glenanne in 2006. They played a smart first half, drawing level through Eamon Bane, but once Pembroke clicked into gear, the result was inevitable.

It started in ominous fashion, though, as a harsh penalty corner decision was brilliantly converted by Sothern, roofing a drag-flick. Chris Neville seemed to have retreated far more than the mandatory five metres before tackling Craig Fulton’s auto-pass, but was sanctioned for not retreating. Sothern had no qualms from the ensuing penalty corner, whizzing the ball past Nigel Grothier’s ears.

Fingal stuck to a game plan of deep defence with four men breaking at speed, using Gary Sharman, Adrian Sweeney and Tom Manning’s pace to chase balls down the channels. They soaked up a lot of pressure, Sothern shooting over and wide while Ben Chillingworth deflected Conor Harte’s flick wide. But from the Fingallians’ first penalty corner, David Bane’s miscued drag-flick was dinked over David Harte by Eamon Bane to level the tie.

Pembroke raised the tempo in the second half and retook the lead in bizarre fashion, Brian Gray, diving full length to block a Sothern cross, deflected the ball into the roof of his net.

It was a deflating blow and, despite Derek O’Gorman’s midfield machinations, Pembroke’s internationals took hold.

Elliott missed an open goal while Grothier saved brilliantly down low from Sothern. But Elliott made amends in the 51st minute, guiding Justin Sherriff’s shot goalward for 3-1 before Good completed the scoring with eight minutes to go.

Elsewhere, John Jermyn struck four times as Cork C of I hammered Catholic Institute 7-3 to take the Munster Senior Cup.

PEMBROKE: D Harte, A Giles, C Fulton, R Gormley, C Harte, M Elliott, P Conlon, A McConnell, M O’Connor, J Sherriff, A Pritchard, A Sothern. Subs: G Elliott, K Treacy, P Good, M O’Connor

FINGAL: N Grothier, E Bane, G Sharman, L Pearson, A Marshall, D O’Gorman, B Chillingworth, S Thompson, T Manning, C Neville, D Bane. Subs: Brian Gray, A Sweeney, P Gahan.