Dublin, December 2: A series of late goals have seen another shake up among the title challengers in the EY Hockey League.
In the Men’s EY Hockey League, Banbridge continued their unbeaten start with a Friday night win over Annadale. Lisnagarvey stormed to a comfortable win over Avoca to maintain top spot. Pembroke almost gave Three Rock Rovers a scare, but the title challengers held out to take the points. A late YMCA winner broke Corinthian hearts in Wesley. And Monkstown took another step up the table, with four penalty corners seeing them past UCD. On Sunday, Corinthian and Monkstown played out a nail-biting 4-4 draw, with Monkstown eventually coming away with the bonus point in the shoot-out.
In the Women’s EY Hockey League, Loreto returned to winning ways against UCD, but were made to work for the win. Railway Union’s stellar run continued as they beat Catholic Institute in a tight battle between the two title challengers. Ards grabbed a massive win as they pursue survival, beating Old Alex in Londonderry Park. Nothing could separate Pegasus and Pembroke in normal time, but Pegasus grabbed the bonus point in the shootout. And a late surge from Ulster Elks saw them beat UCC to put them level with Old Alex and Catholic Institute in the standings.
Men’s EY Hockey League
Annadale and Banbridge kicked over the final round of the Men’s EY Hockey League for 2024, with Banbridge ending the year with a win to continue their unbeaten run. Philip Brown had completed his hattrick just after half-time to give the visitors a 3-1 lead. The current champions surged on in the second half, scoring a further three goals through James Evans, Matthew McKee, and Johnny McKee to secure a strong 6-2 win.
On Saturday, Three Rock and Pembroke played out arguably the most exciting game of the weekend, a nine-goal thriller on Grange Road. Pembroke opened the scoring early through Ross Breytenbach, but Three Rock responded with a brace from Luke Madeley from penalty corners and another goal for Ben Johnson. Alan Sothern pulled one back from Pembroke, but Rex Dunlop cancelled it out almost immediately, before Ben Johnson put a fifth on the board for Three Rock to build a comfortable lead. However, Pembroke had no intentions of rolling over, scoring a quick double to claw their way back into the game and pile the pressure on. It was a tense closing few minutes, in which Pembroke pulled their goalkeeper. A late chance for the visitors forced a sublime save from Three Rock goalkeeper James Coffey, which proved the decisive moment as Three Rock walked away with all three points.
YMCA had their penalty corner team to thank yet again as they scored late to beat Corinthian in Wesley College. The home side came from behind to lead 2-1 going into half-time thanks to Adam Walker and Matthew Walker, but Max Caulwell drew Corinthian level just 3 minutes into the second half. The sides stayed locked at 2 – 2 until Ian Perrott scored in the final minutes to hand the win to YMCA.
It was a family affair for Monkstown as they saw off UCD in Belfield. Monkstown captain Geoff Cole scored from a penalty corner after just three minutes. Older brother and Irish International Lee Cole then slotted away a hattrick of penalty corners to give Monkstown a comfortable 4-0 win over the students.
Lisnagarvey remain top of the table going into the winter break having secured an emphatic 7-0 home win over Avoca. After a tense encounter with the newly promoted side in round 1, Lisnagarvey put on a show for the home fans, with Andrew Williamson bagging an incredible five goals, and Oliver Kidd and Daniel Nelson both netting once each.
The final game of the weekend, and of 2024 for the Men’s EYHL saw Corinthian host Monkstown in the teams’ Round 8 refix. The final game certainly did not disappoint, with 8 goals and a shootout for spectators to enjoy. A lightning quick start to the game saw Monkstown take the lead twice, and Corinthian draw level twice in the opening quarter. Corinthian briefly took the lead in Q3, but Monkstown drew level again a minute later and then took control of the game with seven minutes remaining. But it was more late drama as Corinthian grabbed an equaliser on the death to draw the game 4 – 4 and force a shootout.
It was Monkstown who had the final say in St Columba’s, coming back from 2-1 down in the shoot-out to win 2-3 thanks to some heroics from keeper David Fitzgerald, and cool finishes from Lee Cole and Daniel O’Donovan to take the bonus points.
Lisnagarvey go into the winter break in top spot on 27pts. Just behind is Three Rock on 26, and Banbridge on 24 with a game in hand. YMCA sit in fourth on 19pts, with Monkstown climbing up to fifth on 17. Corinthian fall to sixth with 14pts. The bottom four remains unchanged with the battle for survival set to renew in the New Year. Avoca sit top of the pule on 8, but Pembroke are just behind them on 7pts. Annadale sit in ninth place on just 3pts, and UCD below them on 2pts.
Women’s EY Hockey League
Loreto returned to winning ways after a series of draws, beating UCD in Belfield. Loreto took a two-goal lead in the first quarter with Nicola Torrans converting a penalty corner, and Christina Hamill bursting down the left wing to set up Rachel Kelly for Loreto’s second. There was something of a changing of the tides in quarter 2 as UCD pulled a goal back through Sophia Cole and then drew level through Emma Paul. Loreto’s Nicola Torrans produced the decisive moment for Loreto, grabbing her second of the game at the 40-minute mark to put Loreto ahead and eventually secure all three points.
Ards produced a major upset in Londonderry Park, being then second place side Old Alex. A professional performance from the home side got them just their second win of the campaign, as Phoebe Russel grabbed the opening goal, and Zara Malseed added another to her impressive tally to secure the points and lift outs out of the relegation zone.
Railway Union made it five wins on the bounce as they grabbed a huge win against fellow title challengers Catholic Institute. Just a single goal could separate the sides, with Railway maintaining their narrow 1-0 lead for 65 minutes, after Sarah Hawkshaw gave Railway the grabbed the only goal of the game in the fifth minute.
Ulster Elks overcame fellow college side UCD in Jordanstown. The sides were locked at 1-1 after UCC’s Sarah Murphy equalised in the 49th minute. A late surge from Elks saw them run out as 4-1 victors, with Zahra Lowry, Leah McGuire, and Rachel Houston all scoring in the final quarter.
It was yet another shoot-out for Pegasus, their seventh of the season, as neither them or Pembroke could produce a decisive moment resulting in a 0-0 draw in normal time. The sides were locked at 1-1 in the shootouts until Taite Doherty stepped up to convert the final shoot-out of the match, grabbing the bonus point for Pegasus.
Loreto remain top of the table with 27pts. Railway Union continue their incredible surge to take second place, six points adrift on 21pts. Old Alex, Catholic Institute, and Ulster Elks hold third to fifth on 18pts each, but Catholic Institute have a game in hand against UCC. Pembroke and Pegasus are now level on 15pts and hold sixth and seventh place, with Ards now out of the relegation zone and in touching distance of them on 13pts. UCD slip to ninth on 11pts, and UCC remain bottom on 6pts.