Weekend Review: September 17/18
Given the momentous sporting weekend that it turned out to be for any Dublin GAA or Irish rugby fan, it was easy for the opening weekend of the Leinster hockey season to escape our attention but the club got off to a decent start in general.
The ladies first team were Saturday’s main attraction as they faced an important derby against Corinthians late in the afternoon in St Columbas College. The hosts did take the lead thanks to a simple enough baseline to backpost move but Audrey McCormack replied almost instantly – getting a delicate touch on a short corner strike from Rachel Maunsell. Aoife Dalton was in the right place at the right time to put Glens in to the lead before half-time and the girls held on for a 2-1 win despite heavy pressure near the end. A good start for new coach Dean Maguire!
The men’s first team had a double weekend to open their campaign. They had quite the scare on Saturday when they found themselves 2-0 down to newly promoted Clontarf with 20 minutes left but a late Gary Shaw hatrick saved their blushes and the game finished 3-2. On Sunday, they looked sharper and it was Corinthians who paid the price as our lads advanced to the quarter finals of the Neville Cup. Gary Shaw started the scoring from the penalty spot while Jonathan Kane(2) and Clive Kennedy opened their seasonal accounts before half-time. Joe Brennan completed the scoring with a diving deflection from a improvised short-corner and the tie finished 5-0. The lads will face Monkstown in the next round – a repeat of last year’s final.
Finally, the men’s third team kicked their Division 4 season off with a 1-1 draw against newly promoted Corinthians in Glenanne Park. In a game they dominated for the large periods of time, Glens were left to rue missed chances as a penalty stroke and approximately 11 short corners were missed. Zane Cashman got the goal, equalising with a nice strike near the end, after the visitors had opened the scoring on the counter attack midway through the second half.
