THE redevelopment programmes of Railway Union and Monkstown reached highly encouraging stages on Saturday. Indeed, Railway relished their 3-2 defeat of Three Rock Rovers at Grange Road their first senior league win in 16 years over the Orient Express of Leinster hockey - while Monkstown's young grafters planed the edges off Glenanne, 4-3, at Rathdown.
After Three Rock had only a goal from Gordon Elliott to show for their first half surges, it was Railway who darted forward with increasing menace after the interval. Stephen Moulton was rewarded for his nippy foraging in picking up two short corner opportunities to give his side the lead. Although Liam Canning soon potted an equaliser, Conor O'Brien epitomised the visitors' defiance in the face of a greater volume of attack stemming from Matheas Bechmann.
Then, with three minutes left, another Railway break saw Graham Grumley reach the backline and his crisply delivered centre fell to Paul O'Brien, who crashed home the winner. The management team of Brian Delaney, Brian Tubbert and Mrs Grumley were especially chuffed.
Jacqui Potter, too, was pleased. "Do we believe we can beat these guys?" the Monkstown coach asked assertively at half time with the score at 1-1. At that point of the game, with Graham Shaw having levelled matters through the velocity of Jimmy Shaw's set piece shooting, after Ian Stuart had pushed the home team in front, it seemed that Glenanne would gain control.
However, it was Monkstown, benefitting much from Ali Murdoch's assurance at the back, who got the breaks - and made the most of them. Mickey Nichols sent Just in Sherriff through to make it 2-1; Dan Bolger (with his Avoca apprenticeship showing up well) increased the margin following a corner and Ian Allen touched in the fourth goal with elan. Stephen Butler and Clinton Murphy replied with too little time left to save a point.
Glenanne now face a test of spirit tonight in the Neville Cup semi final against Three Rock who will probably be fielding Ger Butler, fresh from Hanover.
Avoca and Pembroke Wanderers, with handsome league wins on Saturday at the expense of Portrane and Corinthians, respectively, have joined Rovers at the top of the table. Avoca, meanwhile, with next weekend's Irish Senior Cup tie at Garryduff in view, will be relieved in noting the 3-1 outcome of the Munster championship match in which Cork C of I could only get three shots out of Wesley Bateman's reach after Philip Chambers had opened the scoring for Harlequins.
Jan Willem Findlater notched a hat trick in YMCA's eventful 7-4 defeat of Down, after extra time, in the All Ireland first round replay at Ballinteer. Down led 3-0 at the interval but YM's exuberance made it 4-4 at the end of 70 minutes.
