While Pembroke Wanderers and Corinthians closed each other out in a scoreless draw at Serpentine Avenue, it was Glenanne who made the strongest showing in beating Avoca 4-1 in the Leinster Senior League at Grange Road on Saturday.
Although missing Alan Browne for the weekend, Glenanne gained an edge in midfield, where Graham Shaw was particularly effective, and they took their chances to lead 2-0 at half-time. John Goulding, who had notched two goals against Monkstown in the Neville Cup semi-final in midweek, opened the scoring with the reverse stick and Roly O'Donoghue touched home a cross from his brother Albert.
Stephen Butler netted number three after the interval before Graham Dowling - Avoca's most motivated figure - reduced the leeway from a short corner. However, Butler - steadily mounting the marksmen's charts again - put away his side's fourth goal and was denied from increasing the tally by the agility of Stephen Kinsella.
So Glenanne are right back in the pack chasing Pembroke who were allowed little space by Corinthians - with Ted Winter to the fore - to move with their usual verve. Stephen Stewart got in one shot which hit the metalwork, while Trevor Dunne had a tricky lob kept out by Peter Darley. But there was greater danger from Colin Stewart at the other end and it required the utmost vigilance by Peter Young and his cohorts to keep the Corinthians striker out of range and he went mighty close to earning a penalty stroke in the closing stages of the game.
While Railway Union continue to hang on in the top echelon, they were fortunate to take full points from YMCA in a 2-1 win at Park Avenue. Paul O'Brien deftly connected with a through ball from Mark Henderson to add to an opening goal by Graham Berry but when YMCA found some momentum, Andy Robertson finished off a delivery from Steve McNeill on the halftime whistle. Subsequently, a little steadiness in front of goal would have given YM the dividend they deserved.
Three Rock Rovers were confined largely by Ross Harding to a 3-0 margin against Kilkenny while Monsktown equally were made to work for their 2-0 defeat of Aer Lingus.
Ulster's top league match, involving Lisnagarvey and Instonians, also ended scoreless but Lisnagarvey II emerged as favourites for the Irish Junior Cup with their comprehensive 5-1 first-round victory over Pembroke II in Dublin, with Olympic gold medallist Jimmy Kirkwood scoring a brace of goals. The holders, Three Rock Rovers II, encountered spirited resistance from Galway at Dangan before winning 4-3, joining five other Leinster sides in the last-16 stage.
The Leinster indoor league, with fresh momentum this term, reached a rousing finale at St Columba's College yesterday when Avoca needed extra time to retain their title. Railway Union, trailing 1-5 at the break, fought back to level the match at 66, before goals by Graham Dowling and Trevor Dagg gave Avoca an 8-6 victory.
