Extra time heartbreak for Garvey in Senior Cup

There was little between the two old rivals with Pembroke possibly being the most composed team on the day; they also maintained possession better which left Garvey chasing the game especially after Pembroke had taken the lead.

After a first minute scare when Pembroke should have scored and a penalty corner in the 8th minute which John Tormey saved with his hand, the early stages saw Garvey bring the best out of Pembroke keeper Mark Ingram who brought off a series of fine saves.

Johnny Quigley had a wicked reverse stick shot saved in the 9th minute and a minute later Andy Williamson went close but could not find the target from close range.

Garvey’s first penalty corner was drag flicked by Timmy Cockram but Ingram brought off a great block and second set piece was cleared from Jason Lynch.

Pembroke ‘broke the ice’ in the 19th minute when Alan Sothern gave John Tormey no chance with a low fast flick just inside the left hand post to give his team a narrowly deserved lead.

Ingram was again the saviour for Pembroke in the 27th minute when Steven Arbuthnot had a great shot superbly parried and after another Garvey penalty corner Sean Murray saw Ingram bring off the pick of his saves, diving at full stretch to push the ball round the post in the 33rd minute and that effort brought the first half to a close with Pembroke still holding the narrow advantage.

Pembroke began the second half with a penalty corner which went harmlessly past the upright while at the other end Timmy Cockram and Andy Williamson combined to bring yet another fine save from Ingram and again in the 44th minute Mark Raphael saw his effort also blocked by the brilliant Pembroke keeper.

Garvey got on level terms in the 59th minute with a piece of good fortune. A Sean Murray shot from the edge of the circle was deflected into the net by Richard Arneill and suddenly Garvey were ‘in business’.

The teams swapped penalty corners in the 65th and 66th minutes without result but in the 67th minute, Timmy Cockram beat keeper Ingram with an unstoppable drag flick from Garvey’s 5th set piece and with less than two minutes left Garvey had the tie in their hands. However, Pembroke dashed their hopes by immediately taking the ball to the Garvey circle where Cillian Hynes blasted a reverse stick shot past the helpless John Tormey to take the game into extra time just when Garvey thought they had done enough during the exciting last few minutes.

With extra time consisting of just five minutes each way there was little opportunity to score but after Timmy Cockram had shot over the bar, man of the match, Alan Sothern sealed the game for Pembroke with a goal in the 8th minute after Garvey had allowed the right winger to carry the ball along the bye line before finding Sothern with an inch perfect pass and a well placed strike which left Garvey stunned and eliminated from another Irish Senior Cup campaign when they had the game in their grasp.

Garvey must now gear themselves for a very busy five weeks. It begins with their opening I.H.L. match on Saturday against Instonians at Shaws Bridge at 2.40pm followed by their outstanding league game against Mossley which has been arranged for Tuesday March 4 at Comber Road at 7.45pm. A win over Instonians is never easy but Garvey must respond after their Cup disappointment if they are to put in a concerted effort to win the high profile Irish Hockey League.