Glenanne slip-up may yet prove to be costly

Glenanne's 3-3 draw with Avoca at Rathdown on Saturday has allowed their Leinster Senior League title to slip back within Pembroke Wanderers' grasp.

Having achieved several last-ditch exploits themselves, Glenanne this time were the victims as Colm Brady glanced home an equaliser for Avoca in the dying seconds of a vigorous match.

Avoca, with Brady, David Hanna and Cliff Bailey gaining a midfield grip, had led 1-0 at the interval through Hanna from a short corner.

Glenanne stepped up a gear in the second half and, despite the defiance of Stephen Kinsella, drove ahead, 3-1, as Stephen Butler, Graham Shaw and Albert O'Donoghue found the target.

Galahad Goulet, however, rallied his side in reducing the margin to the minimum from a set-piece switch and then came a final surge. Trevor Dagg blasted a touchline hit-in into the circle for Brady to foil the defending champions of two vital points.

Pembroke, meanwhile, played with predictable crispness to overpower Three Rock Rovers, 5-0, at Grange Road. Chances were missed initially before a thrust by Gordon Elliott gave the emerging Ken Treacy the opportunity to register his first goal at this level.

Elliott then put away one himself and, although Rovers continued to resist stoicically in the second period, Justin Sherriff scored twice to remain the league's leading marksman.

There was also a strike from Devin Donnelly who, set up by Francis de Rosa, had time to lash a shot out of deputy goalkeeper Anthony O'Neill's reach.

Three Rock showed touches of verve which will earn them points later in the season.

Monkstown, who beat Aer Lingus 2-0, have risen to fourth spot while Railway Union, much strengthened by the return of Owen Butler, also won 2-0 away against YMCA to move off the bottom rung.

There was some consolation for YMCA in that their second XI got through another round of the Irish Junior Cup (4-3 against North Down II) while Three Rock II and Pembroke II continued to make strong impressions.