TIME TO PUSH FOR GLORY

But they will need to overcome Mossley tonight (Tuesday - away, 7.45pm) and league leaders Cookstown on Saturday (2.30pm).

Seven points seperate the Tyrone side and the locals with Banbridge having played two games less.

"It's time to kick on," admits Bann coach Mark Tumilty, whose prime aim this season was to bring the Ulster title back to Banbridge for the first time since the 1988-89 season.

"Performance wise we have been doing very well," he added. "We maybe haven't got the results that we have deserved but I have no complaints about the effort or the performances the boys have put in.

"We are in a very good position at the minute. If we win our two games in hand then we will be one point behind, so Tuesday's game against Mossley will be a big game for us.

"It will be hard for us because guys will be travelling up from work or school and might feel knackered, plus we will be without Ross McCandless who is away so that will give us a bit less of a presence at corners.

"Then we have Cookstown on Saturday and if we were to win that it would put us in a great position for the final few games.

"I'm confident too that there will be points dropped by every team challenging for the title.

"Instonians for example have an appeal in against the result from their game against Cookstown after a player that was sent off came back on without permission and scored a goal.

"Annadale are still in with a shout too, but they have to play Raphoe, Cookstown, ourselves and Lisnagarvey.

"Cookstown have to play Lisnagarvey too and they haven't had a good record down there this season either.

"All I ask of the boys is that they put in a good, professional performance and get three points on Tuesday - then we can start to worry about Cookstown."

Tumilty said that had Bann been able to avail of the services of Eugene Magee and Geoff McCabe this season then his aims for the season might well have been much higher.

"We're missing our two international players and if we had had them maybe we would have set our goals a bit higher," he admitted.

"But even without them to achieve what we have so far with such a young side is nothing short of remarkable and I'm very proud of the boys."

Bann go into their big week off the back of a 3-3 draw at Corinthians in the Irish Hockey League.

"We were 3-1 up going into the last quarter so to just come away with a point is disappointing but I was very pleased with how we played," he said.

"We still have to play Monkstown and Pembroke so we have a good opportunity still to make the top two and qualify for the semi finals."