HOCKEY:TWO GOALS from Monkstown's set-piece specialist Andy Ewington on Saturday was not enough for Monkstown to prolong Glenanne's season in the Leinster Senior League race.
Glenanne finally came back from 2-1 down to earn a 3-2 win in Rathdown and with it the three points they needed to secure the Leinster Senior League title.
In a repeat of the Leinster Senior Cup final on St Patrick’s Day, when Monkstown took the spoils after extra-time, Glenanne made sure this time in their third attempt at closing it out with Jonathan Kane grabbing two goals and Shane O’Donoghue the other.
Kane’s winning goal close to the final whistle gave Glenanne their fifth championship and Ireland’s Graham Shaw his first as Glenanne’s player-coach.
Glenanne finished the match a man down with Brendan Parsons being sent to the bin for a heavy tackle, but Kane swept in the winner when Gary Shaw engineered a one-on-one with Monkstown goalkeeper David Fitzgerald.
It was a fitting end to the league campaign for the Tallaght side who have been the most consistent team throughout the season.
It also gives them momentum going into the final stages of the All-Ireland League and the prospect of again playing in Europe, where they represented Ireland wonderfully no so long ago in France.
LEINSTER SENIOR LEAGUE:Division One – Monkstown 2 (A Ewington 2), Glenanne 3 (J Kane 2, S O'Donoghue); Three Rock Rovers 3 (A Haughton 2, S Madeley), UCD 1 (R Anderson). Irish Junior Cup Final: Lisnagarvey 3 (S Johnston, M Murphy, A Fallis), Banbridge 1 (I Livingston)
