Despite Pembroke and YMCA’s best efforts, Cookstown and Lisnagarvey scraped through to the semi-finals of the Irish Hockey League despite losing 3-2 respectively on Saturday in the last round of group matches
Pembroke’s date with Cookstown at the recently renamed Steelweld Park in Coolnafranky underpins who will take second place from Pool A in the men’s IHL; YM battle with Lisnagarvey in Pool B while the junior interpros come to Grange Road
Lee Cole’s late winner saw Monkstown land the first semi-final berth in Pool A as his side saw off Cookstown 2-1; the Co Tyrone side are almost there but Annadale could still pip them; Banbridge cruised through with Lisnagarvey likely to join them
While last week’s double weekend was the making or breaking of many teams, Saturday’s fourth round is likely to see some men’s Irish Hockey League final four tickets nailed down.
Banbridge, Cookstown, Lisnagarvey and Monkstown all took huge steps towards the Irish Hockey League playoff places with a pair of wins each over the weekend to putting them well clear of the chasers in their respective pools.
Four triple bills across the weekend will provide defining moments for most of the contenders as the race for the men’s Irish Hockey League semi-finals berths quickly hots up.
Six divisional cup titles and the inaugural LHA Trophy were handed out at Grange Road on Sunday as the Leinster ladies season closed with a flurry of silverware distributed; Glenanne and UCD were the big winners, landing two titles each
YMCA and Monkstown were the two Leinster sides to get their men’s IHL campaigns up and running with wins on derby day as they got the better of Railway Union and Pembroke respectively; Glenanne came unstuck in Cork against C of I
The Irish Hockey League takes on a revamp this year as an end of season event with the competition set to be played out over the next five weeks in quick-fire mode.
Loreto claimed second place in women’s Leinster division one as a pair of second half goals saw them get the better of Hermes 2-0 in Beaufort last Saturday.
| Pos | Team | Pld | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | • | Pembroke | 18 | 43 |
| 2 | • | Monkstown | 18 | 38 |
| 3 | • | TRR | 18 | 35 |
| 4 | • | UCD | 18 | 34 |
| 5 | • | Corinthian | 18 | 29 |
| 6 | • | Railway Union | 18 | 28 |
| 7 | • | YMCA | 18 | 24 |
| 8 | • | Glenanne | 18 | 14 |
| 9 | • | Fingal | 18 | 13 |
| 10 | • | Avoca | 18 | 2 |
| Pos | Team | Pld | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | • | UCD | 18 | 43 |
| 2 | • | Loreto | 18 | 42 |
| 3 | • | Railway Union | 18 | 40 |
| 4 | • | Hermes | 18 | 36 |
| 5 | • | Old Alex | 18 | 34 |
| 6 | • | Pembroke | 18 | 16 |
| 7 | ↑ | Glenanne | 18 | 14 |
| 8 | ↓ | Corinthian | 18 | 11 |
| 9 | • | North Kildare | 18 | 11 |
| 10 | • | Trinity College | 18 | 7 |
| Pos | Team | Pld | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | • | Rathgar | 15 | 37 |
| 2 | • | Clontarf | 15 | 24 |
| 3 | • | Suttonians | 15 | 22 |
| 4 | • | Dublin University | 15 | 19 |
| 5 | • | Kilkenny | 15 | 15 |
| 6 | • | Weston | 15 | 10 |
| Pos | Team | Pld | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | • | Loreto II | 18 | 44 |
| 2 | • | Pembroke II | 18 | 41 |
| 3 | • | Genesis | 18 | 32 |
| 4 | • | Old Alex II | 18 | 30 |
| 5 | • | Three Rock | 18 | 27 |
| 6 | • | Hermes II | 18 | 25 |
| 7 | • | Railway Union II | 18 | 19 |
| 8 | • | Trinity II | 18 | 13 |
| 9 | • | Bray | 18 | 10 |
| 10 | • | Newbridge | 18 | 7 |
