Three Rock put Corinthian in a hard place at Grange Road

Leinster Hockey: Rovers’ midfield overrun Corinthian in cold snap to snatch Mills Cup

Three Rock Rovers with the  Mills Cup
Three Rock Rovers with the Mills Cup

Three Rock Rovers 4 (D Walsh, J Mullins, R Canning, K Mullins)
Corinthian 2 (S Reid 2)

Three Rock Rovers’ midfield eventually overran Corinthian to get a handle on the Leinster Senior Mills Cup for the second time in five years at Grange Road, their fourth piece of silverware already this season.

There was never any comfort about the victory, though, as the reds – in their fifth final since 2009 – continually produced big chances, with Conor Quinn making perhaps the bigger saves of the two goalkeepers.

Indeed, with snow in the air and a real feel on the -3 degree mark, the Leinster Division One side led 22 minutes in via Stephen Reid’s double, undoing Daragh Walsh’s mid-circle piledriver in the early minutes.

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Rovers swapped the lead before half-time, though, with John Mullins slotting home from mid-circle and Ross Canning potting a penalty stroke.

Ratcheted up

Kevin Mullins guided home the only goal of the second half for a degree of comfort with 24 minutes to go as Daragh Walsh, John Mullins and Jody Hosking ratcheted up the tempo.

Quinn was required to tip a Davy Howard drag-flick onto the post while Rovers had a glut of chances to make the game safer in the last 20 minutes but took no more.

Sunday’s three outstanding Irish Senior Cup quarter-finals, meanwhile, all fell victim to the weather.

Three Rock’s date with Cork C of I at Garryduff and Lisnagarvey’s game with YMCA in Hillsborough have both been tentatively refixed for Monday afternoon while the Glenanne versus Monkstown game has yet to have a new date announced.

The Munster Senior Cup final between Limerick and Bandon – both sides seeking the trophy for the first time – was also called off, adding to the fixture congestion in a season that has been blighted by weather problems.

CORINTHIAN: R Murray, R Howard, R Clarke, J Roberts, D Tracey, J Greaney, A Sutton, S Reid, D Winn, J Bruton, A Blennerhassett, R McWilliams, D Howard, B Murphy, E Mackay

THREE ROCK ROVERS: C Quinn, R Nair, P Blakeney, C Empey, J Mullins, R Canning, J Walker, L Madeley, D Walsh, K Mullins, H Morris, J Hosking, R Pautz, M Samuel, H MacMahon, B McCrea

Umpires: K Cholewa, R Abbott