EYHL Men Round 9: Pembroke Put Their Lead on the Line at Lisnagarvey

One point. That’s all that separates the top two in the men’s EY Hockey League, and they meet on Saturday. Pembroke Wanderers travel to Lisnagarvey with the lead, but only just, and after the double weekend the whole top five is bunched inside three points. This is the round where the title race either stretches out or snaps shut.

The big one: Lisnagarvey v Pembroke Wanderers

Pembroke are still unbeaten, but they dropped a point on Sunday. Three Rock Rovers came back from 2-0 down at Serpentine Avenue to force a 2-2 draw, then took the shootout 3-2 and the bonus point with it. Pembroke kept their place at the top, 18 points, yet Lisnagarvey are right there on 17 after bouncing straight back from Saturday’s defeat to Three Rock with a 4-2 win over Cork Harlequins on Sunday.

So Saturday at Comber Road is a proper top-of-the-table game. Lisnagarvey win and they’re top. Pembroke win and they open up four points on the chasers. A draw keeps it tight and hands the chasing pack a chance to close in. Neither side can afford to sit back.

Banbridge v Avoca: the form teams collide

Banbridge won twice last weekend, 9-0 against Cork Harlequins on Saturday and 3-2 at Monkstown on Sunday, and they’re three points off the top on 15. Avoca are the side nobody’s beaten yet. Eight games, no defeats, and they put seven past Corinthian on Sunday in a 7-2 rout at Newpark. That lifted them to 17 points, level with Lisnagarvey.

Bann at Havelock Park are a handful for anyone, but Avoca’s unbeaten run is the story of the season so far. Something has to give at 2:45pm.

Three Rock Rovers at Corinthian

Three Rock are fourth on 16, and they arrive in Whitechurch Park full of belief after that comeback at Pembroke. Fight back from two down away at the leaders, win the shootout, take the bonus point. That’s the kind of result that changes a season’s mood. Corinthian are sixth on 10, and they were on the wrong end of Avoca’s seven on Sunday. They need a response, and quickly.

The rest of the card

Cork Harlequins host YMCA at Farmers’ Cross. Cork are bottom on three points and running out of room already. YMCA have 10 and will see this as a game they have to win.

Monkstown host Portrane at Rathdown in a scrap at the bottom. Portrane climbed out of the relegation zone for the first time this season with Sunday’s 3-2 win at YMCA, their second win of the campaign. Monkstown are a point behind them on five. Lose this one and the gap starts to look serious.

Fixtures, Saturday 14 November (all times local, PKT +5 hours)

• Monkstown v Portrane, 12:20pm (5:20pm PKT), Rathdown
• Corinthian v Three Rock Rovers, 1:15pm (6:15pm PKT), Whitechurch Park
• Cork Harlequins v YMCA, 2:30pm (7:30pm PKT), Farmers’ Cross
• Lisnagarvey v Pembroke Wanderers, 2:30pm (7:30pm PKT), Comber Road
• Banbridge v Avoca, 2:45pm (7:45pm PKT), Havelock Park

Table after Round 8

Pembroke Wanderers 18, Lisnagarvey 17, Avoca 17, Three Rock Rovers 16, Banbridge 15, Corinthian 10, YMCA 10, Portrane 6, Monkstown 5, Cork Harlequins 3.