Pembroke Wanderers and Lisnagarvey, seeded to meet in tomorrow's decisive match, both won their opening games in the All-Ireland championship at Belfield yesterday. But, while Pembroke held on to a 2-0 half-time lead against Cork Harlequins to the final hooter, it was only in the last minute that Lisnagarvey snatched a 2-1 victory over Annadale.
Pembroke seized their two-goal advantage in the 14th and 22nd minutes, when thrusts by Justin Sherriff and Gordon Elliott yielded openings for Trevor Dunne and Devin Donnelly to score with precision. Spurred by Paul Lombard, Harlequins mounted a strong response at the start of the second half; but Nigel Henderson was alerted to every threat, as well as defying David Eakins from short corners.
It was encouraging too, for Pembroke, that their young wingbacks, Ken Treacy and Ronan Gormley, played with much assurance. In the end, the Leinster champions were back on the attack, with a blistering shot by Sherriff being saved superbly by Wesley Bateman.
In the second game, Lisnagarvey made a confident start and took the lead clinically through Kevin Lunn from a delivery by Julian Stevenson. But Annadale settled down for the inspirational Chris Jackson to reply swiftly, after his first short-corner shot had been parried by Kyle Lunn.
Surprisingly, Annadale - with Canadian international David Yule a driving force in midfield - became the more assertive side until the closing stages when Brian Waring set Lisnagarvey moving with some urgency. Tim Cochran barely failed to score; but just when it seemed that the points would be shared, Daniel Clarke astutely snapped up a clearance to send Mark Raphael through for the winner.
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