Lisnagarvey get their IHL campaign back on track

Their performance on Saturday was just what was required after the defeat by Banbridge in their opening match the previous weekend. Indeed, it took Garvey just nine minutes to grab the lead over Railway; their opening penalty corner was well saved by keeper O’Keefe but Johnny Quigley was on the spot to force the ball into the net.

Railway responded with a penalty corner of their own in the 13th minute. The ball was cleared but a minute later they operated a very good switch around the Garvey circle before David McCarthy scored with a strong shot which gave John Tormey in the Garvey goal little chance.

Garvey’s chance to take the lead came in the 17th minute but their second penalty corner was totally wasted and the first quarter of the tight game ended with the honours even at 1-1.

Railway were the better side during the early part of the second period and had two good deflections go narrowly past the post before Garvey got themselves together and began to threaten the Railway circle and they were rewarded in the 23rd minute when James Lorimer scored with a very well executed penalty corner drag flick and in the 28th minute they stretched their lead to 3-1.

Steven Arbutnot made ground down the left before his fast cross was deflected into the net by the Railway keeper with Daniel Buser making sure the ball entered the net.

The first half ended with Garvey still leading by three goals to one and comfortable but they had the chance to finish off their opponents in the 37th, 39th and 40th minutes but all three of James Lorimer,s drag flicks were well defended but in the 43rd minute they did score the vital fourth goal when Stuart McNiece and Andy Forrest gave Daniel Buser the chance to score from close range.

The afternoon was completed for Garvey when Greg Thompson sent in a lightning reverse stick cross and Johnny Quigley tapped the ball into the net at the far right hand post to take the score line to a convincing 5-1.

Garvey seemed content to sit back with a quarter of the game left and it gave Railway the chance to exert some useful pressure from which they forced a series of penalty corners. However, John Tormey and the solid Garvey defence were able to cope with the resulting shots until the last minute when Railway managed to pull the score back to 5-2 with a well taken set piece from Peter English.

Garvey fully deserved their 5-2 win over a team which caused some problems but for once they were able to take their chances and put the game out of sight for Railway after three quarters of the game.