Men's Hockey/ All-Ireland League play-offs: The top two clubs in Leinster this season, champions Glenanne and runners-up Pembroke Wanderers, got their All-Ireland Club Championship campaigns off to winning starts at Belfield yesterday, with Glenanne beating Corinthian by the narrowest of margins, and Pembroke getting the better of Ulster champions Annadale.
Goals from John Goulding and Joe Brennan gave Glenanne a 2-1 victory over Corinthian, third in Leinster this season, while Justin Sherriff, putting his disappointing World Cup Qualifiers campaign with Ireland behind him, Gordon Elliott and Alan Sothern got the scores for Pembroke in their impressive 3-1 defeat of Annadale, for whom Paul Jackson replied.
Meanwhile, Church of Ireland, in the same pool as Glenanne, upset defending champions Lisnagarvey, with John Jermyn, David Hobbs and Alec Moffett netting in a 3-2 win.
Banbridge, then, were the only Ulster representatives in the tournament to enjoy a win on the opening day, beating Irish Cup holders Cork Harlequins 2-1 in the final game of the day.
The top team in each pool this weekend go through to the Club Championship final at Belfield on May 28th, with the winners of that qualifying for the 2007 European Club Championships.
After day one, then, Glenanne and Church of Ireland hold the advantage in Pool A, with Pembroke Wanderers and Banbridge topping Pool B.
ALL-IRELAND CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFFS (at Belfield): Pool A - Glenanne 2 (J Goulding, J Brennan) Corinthian 1; Church of Ireland 3 (J Jermyn, D Hobbs, A Moffett) Lisnagarvey 2 (J Bloomfield, M Raphael). Pool B - Pembroke Wanderers 3 (J Sherriff, G Elliott, A Sothern) Annadale 1 (P Jackson); Cork Harlequins 1 Banbridge 2.
Today: Pool A - Glenanne v C of I, 10am; Lisnagarvey v Corinthians, 2pm. Pool B - Annadale v Banbridge, noon; Harlequins v Pembroke, 4pm; Tomorrow: Pool A - C of I v Corinthian, 10am; Lisnagarvey v Glenanne, 2pm. Pool B - Pembroke v Banbridge, noon; Harlequins v Annadale, 4pm.
