CORINTHIAN Hockey Club produced an incredible burst of three goals in the closing eight minutes to win the Leinster Senior Mills Cup for the fourth time, stunning Glenanne 5-3 at Grange Road on St Patrick’s Day.
Davy Howard proved the hero for the reds with a hat trick of corner goals while Ian Stewart and Gordon Elliott also chipped in for a famous win. They were rank outsiders going into the final having lost three times to the Glens already this term, including in the Neville Cup final.
But Trevor Dagg’s side saved their best form for this competition, beating Monkstown and Railway Union – both times with last minute goals – before striking late once again.
Indeed, their run is especially memorable given how little time they have spent ahead in the previous games in this competition. They struck in the last minute to beat Town while they needed two last-ditch equalisers in normal and extra time against Railway before winning on penalties.
It showed the depth of character in the Whitechurch Park club’s panel as they summoned a similar spirit to run up another memorable late spurt, reminiscent of their last win in 2009 when they won in silver goal, extra time.
In a tight, well-matched first half, Richie Shaw gave Glenanne the lead when he snapped up a penalty corner rebound with plenty of power. The reds were showing well, though, and drew the best from Lukasz Domachowski before Howard scored the first of his triple from a corner.
Eddie O’Malley, at the second bite, put the Tallaght side back in front early in the second half from a reset penalty corner. Howard, though, levelled for a second time as he was cleverly moved around the circle to adjust the shooting angle and duly applying the requisite power.
For a third time, Glenanne took the lead, this time via a superb Sam O’Connor individual goal, picking out the bottom left corner. Corinthian top scorer Ian Stewart, though, thumped home the third equaliser of the game with eight minutes to set up a monumental finish.
With Glenanne down to nine men, Corinthian drove home the advantage with Howard firing in his third of the day in the 67th minute, moving the opposite way to his previous switch.
Gordon Elliott – who was on the opposing Pembroke side in 2009 – made extra sure moments later, landing their first senior title since 2009 with a break-out attack, the last act of a memorable day.
