Banbridge take IHL title, Pembroke ousted by 'Garvey in semi's

Pembroke Wanderers Men fell at the semi-final stage in last weekend’s IHL Finals held at Hillsborough loosing to hosts Lisnagarvey who in turn lost out on a Penalty shoot out to Banbridge after the Final itself finished 2-2 AET. Owen Magee’s penalty shoot-out goal was the vital play which secured Banbridge their first Irish senior title in 20 years, their victory means Ireland will be represented at next year’s EHL by Cookstown (Irish Senior Cup winners) and themselves. Read the match report from the IHL Final here.

Pembroke’s own two year reign as Club Champions came to end on Saturday following a 2-1 loss to ‘Garvey – official match report here:

Lisnagarvey 2 Pembroke Wanderers 1

Lisnagarvey ended Pembroke’s two-year reign as Irish Hockey League champions as Timmy Cockram led the Ulster champions to victory on home turf on the Comber Road. It means the province will have two places in the 2011/12 EuroHockey League, too, as either ’Garvey or Bann will now join Cookstown – Irish Senior Cup champions – in the continent’s flagship club event.

Bitty and scrappy, neither side managed to get much rhythm going at any point but the northern side probably shaded proceedings though they were twice thankful to the crossbar to keep them ahead.

Pembroke welcomed back Colin Kelly, Gordon Elliott and Paddy Conlon to their panel following their European exertions but were rocked in the seventh minute when Timmy Cockram rounded the impressive Simon Thornton and reversed home.

Gordon Elliott cracked the bar four minutes later while a corner was deflected wide. Patrick Good, however, did find the net in the 31st minute following a right-wing move to make it 1-1 at the break. Cockram restored the lead very early into the second period from the penalty spot, a heavily debated decision by Pembroke who felt it was stick rather than body which prevented the ball crossing the line. It brought the ’Garvey man to within two of Shane O’Donoghue at the top of the goalscorer’s charts for this term. Chances were of the half-cooked nature, thereafter. Mick O’Connor ghosted past a couple but his slip pass got only half a touch from Kirk Shimmins while Arbuthnot had a cut from a difficult angle – it whizzed high and handsome.

Ronan Flannery drew a fine low stick save from Alex McRoberts before Thornton kept the tie just about alive with a double save from Arbuthnot and Daniel. Cockram ran out time and Lisnagarvey have a shot of their first national title since 2005.

Pembroke Wanderers: Simon Thornton, Ronan Flannery, Alan Giles (c), Karl Lynch, Maurice Elliott, Colin Kelly, Paddy Conlon, Craig Wilson, Michael O’Connor, Patrick Good, Mairtin Cronin. Subs: Keith Crawford, Gordon Elliott, Kirk Shimmins, Ken Treacy, Scott Furlong.

Lisnagarvey: Alex McRoberts, Brian Waring, Johnny Bell, Richard Arneill, Jason Lynch, Mark Raphael, Timmy Cockram, Steven Arbuthnot, John Gray (c), Andy Forrest, Greg Thompson. Subs: Patrick Martin, Glen Whitten, Mark Daniel, Daniel Buser, Michael Harte.