Three Rock promoted

MEN'S HOCKEY:THREE ROCK Rovers's trip to Turkey proved to be a successful one, the team earning promotion to the third tier of European indoor hockey yesterday by finishing second in the Club Challenge II.

Ross Canning’s hat-trick, in their final game against RHC Lokomotiv, helped them hold off the challenge of the Bulgarian side for the second promotion spot, with hosts Anadolu Atesi taking the title.

Rovers won three and drew one of their five games, their only defeat coming in Friday’s opener against Norway’s Sagene, the team – including goalkeeper Stephen West – playing in borrowed gear after their own got lost at the airport.

It turned up just in time, though, for their 13-1 hammering of Georgia’s Batumi, Jody Hosking scoring four and Canning his first hat-trick of the tournament.

A 5-2 win over Finland’s ABC and a draw with Anadolu on Saturday set up yesterday’s game against Locomtiv, an emphatic 6-1 victory clinching promotion to next year’s Champion’s Challenge I – which, having won this season’s national indoor title, Rovers will compete in.

Rovers' Stephen Findlater had an especially busy weekend, sending out press releases for the club, updating his Hookhockey.comsite and Twitter account with results and reports, playing – and scoring.

Back home, Monkstown briefly took over as Leinster Division One leaders after their 3-2 win over UCD and Pembroke Wanderers’ 3-1 defeat by Glenanne on Saturday, but Glenanne moved top yesterday with a 5-2 victory over Corinthian.