In defending their Leinster league title with the utmost defiance by defeating Pembroke Wanderers 3-2 with the last action of a stirring joust at Serpentine Avenue on Saturday, Glenanne must be among the strongest challengers for the Irish Senior Cup. Indeed, straightaway Glenanne should have little difficulty in beating Belvedere in a third-round trip to Cork, whereas Pembroke, the holders, face a much more hazardous away game against Corinthians.
Furthermore, while Pembroke should still retain a sufficient points margin to regain the Leinster laurels, there can be little doubt that Glenanne will finish in the top three and therefore will be set to compete with gusto in an attempt to win the all-Ireland championship for the second successive season.
Pembroke remain the more expansive side, but again Glenanne played tigerishly on Saturday, seizing an early lead through Mark Lambe and keeping the home side at bay for the rest of the first half in which Clinton Murphy was particularly sound and Ian Clarke was quick off the line to foil Allan Kershaw and Gordon Elliott.
When Pembroke continued to attack forcefully in the second period, it was Joe Brennan who excelled in the visitors' defence. But eventually Elliott found room to equalise following a short corner. Then Devin Donnelly earned a penalty stroke for Justin Sherriff to convert to make it 2-1.
Yet, Glenanne were menacing on the break, and although Nigel Handerson brought off a flurry of fine saves, he was beaten from an acute angle by Graham Shaw in a set-piece move to leave it at 2-2 with 10 minutes left.
Pembroke would have settled for their 100 per cent record to be blemished by a draw, but Shaw bore through the depleted cover to send John Goulding in for the winner only seconds from Ray O'Connor's final whistle. In other games involving top-three contenders, Corinthians gained a significant 2-1 win against Three Rock Rovers, while enigmatic YMCA beat Monkstown 3-1. YM, though, will not relish an Irish Senior Cup visit to RUC in a fortnight.
The police team eliminated Suttonians, 5-3, at the Palace Barracks in one of three north/ south second-round ties which were decided by the narrowest of margins. Suttonians led 2-0 through Richie Wormald and Rubin Holden, but two penalty strokes deep into stoppage time allowed RUC to stay in contention and then gain control in the prolonged struggle.
Of the Leinster second division sides, only UCD - who squeezed out Portadown in a shoot-out - survived to join St James's Gate in the prestigious third round.
Naas made a bold bid to stay in the hunt at Glasnevin, fighting back from 3-1 down with goals by Richie Lowry and Carl Davenport to draw level with Bangor, but Andrew Brennan struck decisively for the Ulstermen in extra time.
