Lisnagarvey win top table classic in EYHL

Lisnagarvey won a top table classic to move back to the top of the men’s EY Hockey League table as they beat previous leaders Three Rock Rovers 3-2.
Ollie Kidd, 19, celebrates making it 3-1 for Lisnagarvey against Three Rock Rovers in EYHL. Picture: Adrian BoehmOllie Kidd, 19, celebrates making it 3-1 for Lisnagarvey against Three Rock Rovers in EYHL. Picture: Adrian Boehm
Ollie Kidd, 19, celebrates making it 3-1 for Lisnagarvey against Three Rock Rovers in EYHL. Picture: Adrian Boehm

It was their second successive win at Grange Road, winning 2-0 in the Irish Senior Cup a week ago, with this tie a far more open affair.

Garvey looked in good shape to win with something to spare when Ollie Kidd set up Daniel Nelson for a simple finish in the first half and Andy Edgar whipped in a penalty corner drag-flick.

But Rovers came storming back in the third quarter and got a deserved one back via Ross Canning’s outstanding reverse-stick shot that ripped into the netting.

Rovers looked well set to potentially level it in Q3 but Garvey steadied the ship and went into a 3-1 lead courtesy of Kidd’s goal from another set piece.

In the endgame, Peter Blakeney cracked a shot off the post with James Milliken getting an incredible touch to redirect it and the goalkeeper also brilliantly smothered Harry McMahon’s deflection.

James Walker smashed in a second for Rovers with two minutes to go before Matthew Nelson became the next player to rattle the metalwork with a powerful shot pinging off the crossbar.

It puts Garvey into a two-point lead at the head of the table with Rovers dropping back to second, level on points with Glenanne who were 5-2 winners over UCD.

“It’s been tough coming two weeks in a row here and it is always tough against these guys so delighted to come away with the points,” said goalkeeper Milliken post-match, highlighting how his side toughed up a concerted second half onslaught.

“We work really hard on our PCD [penalty corner defence] and it is one of our points of pride; sometimes its guys picking it off the line, sometimes are runners charging it down and occasionally I have to do a job!”

It is the sixth successive round the lead has changed hands in the competition and Milliken says it keeps Lisnagarvey on alert that there is a long way to go.

“It is a significant win but we have to keep our feet on the ground. There’s five games left and a lot of teams playing well - Glenanne going well, Banbridge doing great stuff. 

“You have to play well every week, have that as a baseline and not as a peak. Every team is working so hard this year and it is one of the most competitive years we’ve had and it forces you to be better every week.” 

Banbridge, meanwhile, are in a share of fourth spot with Monkstown thanks to their 5-3 win over relegation-threatened Pembroke. Alan Sothern did strike twice for Pembroke to make it six goals in two outings but his side could not build on an early lead with Philip Brown, Jonny McKee, Owen Magee, Josh Moffett and Louis Rowe all weighing in.

It leaves the top five covered by just four points; from those, the top two will advance straight to the EY Champions Trophy finals weekend.

Three Rock Rovers 2 (R Canning) Lisnagarvey 3 (D Nelson, A Edgar, O Kidd)

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