James Milliken was the Lisnagarvey star for the second successive weekend as the goalkeeper’s shoot-out heroics earned the club the men’s EY Champions Trophy in Ireland.
He kept out three Banbridge efforts to win the title after normal time ended 2-2. A week earlier, he did the same against Three Rock Rovers in the Irish Senior Cup final when the regular time ended 3-3; with the EY Hockey League title, it completed a treble for Garvey this season.
It means they will qualify for the EHL ROUND1 next season with Banbride going to the EuroHockey Trophy I.
Sunday’s final was scoreless until the final quarter when Peter McKibbin deflected in at the back post.
Banbridge, however, levelled, winning a penalty corner of their own, forcing another save from Milliken but the ball fell to Owen McElhinney to fire in on the rebound.
Lisnagarvey restored their lead with just three minutes remaining, Jonny Lynch providing the final touch in a super attacking move, a goal that the home support thought was the deciding moment.
However, there was to be one more twist in the tale as Banbridge won a penalty corner, followed by a penalty stroke for a foot on the goal line. Peter Brown made no mistake from the spot to force a shoot-out.
Milliken, however, was the star once more as they ended Banbridge’s two-year reign as Irish champions.
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