Garvey keep up IHL hopes with a vital victory in Cork

The visitors struggled for 70 minutes to come to terms with the slow pitch and did not seal the game until the 46th minute.

After missing a horde of good chances though, they ended the dour match with a three goal advantage and four valuable points.

Missing the telling influence of Mark Raphael and Johnny Quigley to drive them forward, Garvey failed to put their opponents under pressure with their usual slick passing. The pitch slowed down the process so much so that Cork looked comfortable for most of the first half without threatening to score themselves.

Cork had the first chance of the game as early as the fifth minute but the danger was averted by the Garvey defence and in the 10th minute, Timmy Cockram uncharacteristically missed a compete sitter, leaving the game scoreless after the first quarter.

Garvey were in command as regards possession throughout the next quarter but even their first penalty corner in the 21st minute was unsuccessful as Cork goalkeeper Hale mad a good save from the Cockram drag flick.

At last, after 33 minutes, a good sharp move down the right-wing gave Timmy Cockram the simple job of poking the ball over the Cork goal-line to make it 1-0 and that remained the score to the half-time interval.

Garvey continued to totally dominate the game but could not find the pass to prise open the packed Cork defence but they did have chances nevertheless. Sean Murray had a good shot saved by Hale in the 37th minute and Andy Williamson struck the post in the 42nd minute while a second Garvey set-piece was totally wasted after a fruitless switch round the circle.

The pressure had to tell eventually and in the 47th minute, Richard Arneill worked his way down the right flank before finding Andy Williamson who pivoted and beat Hale with a good strong shot.

Cork seemed content to keep the score down after two heavy defeats and this constantly gave Garvey the problem of opening up the crowded circle.

Two more shots from Cockram and Williamson were cleared with some difficulty and in the 51st minute they had a goal disallowed.

Garvey were still crawling all over the Cork defence as the game entered the last 10 minutes with Sean Murray in the thick of the action. However, their fifth penalty corner in the 67th minute was wasted and the visitors had to wait until the last minute for their third and final goal of the game.

Inevitably, it came from the stick of that man Timmy Cockram who converted Garvey’s sixth corner with an unstoppable flick half way up the Cork net giving Hale no chance of a save.

An easily forgettable 70 minutes ended with Garvey at least making the 500 mile journey worthwhile with a vital win and four crucial points.

The win puts Garvey into third place behind Pembroke and Three Rock Rovers, whom they play on Saturday.