Glenanne close to final-four place

MEN'S HOCKEY:GLENANNE WERE the side to make the biggest move towards a final-four place in the inaugural Irish Hockey League with a thumping, 3-0 win over Instonians yesterday at St Mark's.

The major talking point prior to the game was the revelation that Instonians’ Mark Gleghorne had decided to look into the possibility of declaring for Britain and leave his Irish international career behind him.

And it took only five minutes for the striker to make a major impact, though for all the wrong reasons as he blocked Stephen Butler’s penalty corner strike with his body. Butler netted the resulting stroke.

Instonians fought back gamely, forcing four corners by the break but had little in the way of cutting edge and were stung twice within four minutes of the turnaround.

Butler rifled in a corner via Nigel Skillen’s pads, and 16-year-old Shane O’Donoghue added to his burgeoning reputation with a snappy rebound just 30 seconds after for 3-0.

In truth, Instonians offered little after the break, but almost denied Glenanne the bonus point for a three-goal margin when Chris Barnes looked odds on to score.

Stephen Doran pulled off an immaculate, close-range save, though, and the greens were assured of a four-point advantage at the top of Group One.

The destination of the second semi-final place, though, is anybody’s guess.

Pembroke’s 0-0 draw with Cookstown – courtesy of Ivan Steen’s missed penalty – has the second on six points while Instonians and Annadale have five.

Annadale withstood a Cork Harlequins onslaught, defending 12 penalty corners after taking a 2-0 lead in the first six minutes with Jonny Quigley and a Paul Jackson’s stunner on target.

Group B looks more clear-cut with three sides in contention for two places. Three Rock Rovers snatched a bonus point from the fire when Peter Blakeney and Michael Maguire scored in the closing three minutes.

It moved them to seven, two off leaders Cork C of I and Banbridge. CI left it late to defeat Monkstown while Banbridge beat Fingal in a lively, 5-3 fixture at the airport.