Two former leading Pembroke Wanderers figures, Johnny Holt and Peter Young, performed significant roles in the elimination of YMCA by second-division Naas in the first round of the Leinster Senior Cup at Caragh Road on Saturday. Coach Holt directed the home defenders to subdue YMCA's spearhead Michael Fry, so the outcome on the gritty surface was a 0-0 stalemate. Then, after goalkeeper Wayne Burrell had saved three strokes in the shootout, it was 2-2 before Young put away the decisive flick as Naas won 3-2 in `sudden death.'
The captain Jason Weir, who is one of a five-man Kilkenny diaspora in the Kildare capital's side, felt that Dave Fitzgerald, Darren Harty and John Lowry also made sturdy contributions to the win, which came on the heels of the 4-0 defeat of Clontarf in the initial round of the Irish Senior Cup.
"We're really going for it against Bangor next weekend," said Weir, a garda based in Crumlin. Bangor, it should be noted, though, indulged in an 8-5 win over Parkview in an Ulster league match on Saturday.
In the Cable & Wireless-backed Leinster competition, Naas now meet Eastern Health, who beat Bray through a late goal by the loyal Jonathan Sellers.
Elsewhere, the scoring was heavier. Dougie Good notched a hat-trick as Pembroke (giving Ken Treacy and Paddy Good first-XI experience) defeated UCD 8-2 at Serpentine Avenue, but Stephen Tilson, with an inspired run, and Marcus Miller, a stylish midfielder, had the distinction of beating Nigel Henderson (the Computershare player of the month for September-October) with the game's first and last shots.
Three Rock Rovers found themselves on level terms (2-2) at the interval at Portrane before winning 5-2, which was also the score at Whitechurch Park. Here Monkstown led 1-0 at half-time through Brian Groves but Corinthians' Southern Hemisphere brigade then went on the rampage. Olly Close scored twice while Dan Williams, another new recruit from Tasmania, and Sean Tucker figured on the scoresheet, though at least it was an Irishman, Mark Magnier, who struck the fifth goal.
Jason Glennon contributed a hat-trick to St James's Gate's dismissal of DCU (7-0).
Glenanne, meanwhile, kept in shape with a 3-1 Neville Cup win at Avoca'a expense.
