Bann narrow the gap but it’s Garvey’s crown to lose
BANBRIDGE have closed the gap on EY Irish Hockey League leaders Lisnagarvey to nine points following a nervy win over second-placed Monkstown at Havelock Park yesterday.
Bann seemed to be coasting to a comfortable victory as they built up a 4-1 lead with 11 minutes remaining but the Dublin side had other ideas and immediately brought off goalkeeper Davy Fitzgerald in favour of an extra outfield player.
The gamble paid off as they scored twice in the last six minutes to set up a grandstand finish but Bann held on, expertly running the clock down after Monkstown scored their third with 2:50 remaining.
The hard-fought victory keeps Bann in title contention, in theory at least, but yesterday’s result also played into Garvey’s hands.
The Hillsborough team, who beat Pembroke 5-2 in Dublin on Saturday, are now eight points clear at the top and would need to slip up on several occasions to allow either Bann or Monkstown to lift the title. Banbridge captain Johnny McKee is not particularly optimistic about his team’s chances of regaining the regulation season trophy.
The Irish international said: “At the moment, our main focus is on making sure we finish in the top four and therefore make it into the play-offs.
“Yes, we are still in with a chance of stopping Garvey but they seem to just keep on winning week after week so they have to be strong favourites for the regulation season title.
“It was good to get the win, although we didn’t play particularly well against a Monkstown side that have always given us close games in the past.”
Bann got off to a dream start when Josh Moffett scored a fine solo goal after only 30 seconds, Philip Brown rattled in a penalty corner in the 10th minute before Gareth Watkins pulled one back five minutes later.
But Brown made it 3-1 from another set-piece before the end of the first quarter and there was no further scoring until the 59th minute when Owen Magee rifled in No.4 after good work by Drew Carlisle.
Monkstown replied with a penalty corner converted by Geoff Cole in the 64th minute and Rory Nichols cut the deficit to a single goal in similar fashion but they were unable to find an equaliser.
Meanwhile, there are bound to be renewed calls for a more equitable structure for the local set-up after another day of high scoring in the second-tier Intermediate League. Chris Barnes hit 10 of the goals to increase his tally to 60 for the season as Civil Service hammered Saintfield 19-0.
Antrim put 13 without reply past Down, who had earlier in the campaign been crushed 17-0 by Belfast Harlequins, who clocked up a relatively modest 8-0 win against PSNI.