HOCKEY/Round-Up: Glenanne gave a rousing performance to gain a berth for Pembroke Wanderers or Instonians in the A division of next year's competition by beating the Italian side Lazio 3-2 in the European Cup Winners' Cup B division tournament in Gibraltar yesterday.
After an opening 2-2 draw with Hostivar of the Czech Republic, who then lost 4-1 to Lazio, it seemed that the odds were against the Tallaght team achieving an all-important win. But with a reshaped formation, they fought back from arrears of 1-0 and 2-1 to finish well in command and to earn a place in today's final against Atletic Terrassa of Spain.
After Lazio had broken away to take the lead, Mark Lambe equalised immediately from a short corner and although the Italians were back in front by the interval, Glenanne asserted themselves for Graham Shaw to make it 2-2 from a set piece midway through the second half. Then Paul Fitzpatrick charged from halfway to outflank a succession of defenders and hoist the ball over the goalkeeper's shoulder for the winner.
While this goal ranked as an outstanding individual effort, the alertness of the entire team was heartening, with Shaw, Clinton Murphy and Ian Clarke playing particularly valuable roles.
After a promising start on Thursday, against Germany's Club an der Alster, Ballymoney's European debut proved to be a chastening experience, one that ended in relegation from the A division of the Cup Winners Cup in Spain yesterday after four successive defeats.,
Moscow Pravda beat the Irish cup holders 3-1 in the fifth-eighth play-offs, a result that means Hermes or Loreto will play in the B division next season. Pravda took the lead after just two minutes before putting the game beyond Ballymoney's reach with further goals in the 18th and 30th minutes. Catherine Dixon deflected home Diane Kirgan's corner striker seconds from the end for a consolation score.
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