HOCKEY: Avoca will set off on Wednesday for the European indoor championship in Porto with their spirits raised following the 3-2 Leinster Senior League victory over Three Rock Rovers at Grange Road on Saturday.
The result considerably eased their relegation anxieties. Both themselves and Rovers remain in the vulnerable zone but have more points on the board (14 apiece) than Trinity (11) and UCD (10), who, though, have matches in hand.
Avoca probably are now sufficiently well equipped to survive. Their Antipodean recruits were much to the fore on Saturday, particularly New Zealand international Michael Gunne, who controled midfield.
After Rovers had set the goalposts quivering in an opening offensive, it was Avoca who seized the lead through Rory Kirwan from an astute pass by Ezra Handelman. But Graham Dowling soon equalised and Mark Henderson fired the home side in front by the interval.
While Three Rock - though without several key figures - seemed in control at that stage, chances were missed early in the second period, allowing Avoca to grasp the initiative. Tully Moore surged from the back to make it 2-2 and Trevor Dagg, one of their native stalwarts, unleashed the winner from a short corner.
In the Irish Junior Cup quarter-finals, Pembroke Wanderers II made a further advance in defence of the trophy in beating Railway Union II 5-1 with Dougie Good notching four of the goals at Serpentine Avenue.
Cork C of I's promising second XI needed extra time to shake off YMCA II, 4-2, at Garryduff, while the mature contributions of Robbie Taylor and Kenny Morris have pushed Lisnagarvey II and Annadale Il through to the semi-finals, too.
While Avoca head off to Portugal, the national squad are back from Iberian warmth where, with a goal by Stephen Butler, they drew 1-1 with the Spanish under-23s in Barcelona.
