Wild west wins for Quins

Catholic Institute served further notice of their continuing upward mobility by posting a superb 3-2 win over Cork C of I B at Rosbrien earlier today. Ollie O’Connor’s side have been the ones to watch in the men’s Division One since putting champions C of I A to the pin of their collar a couple of weeks ago, shattering the illusion that they are a soft touch in the top tier.

And this win, which came courtesy of goals from Albert Valls, Justin O’Sullivan and Eric Calendar, will give the Treaty city side even more confidence that they can continue to be competitive this term – a fine turnaround given the club was on the brink of demoting itself just 14 months ago. David Herbert continued his fine goalscoring form for the visitors, with Robert Morris getting the other, but it wasn’t enough on the day and they are now the only team in the division yet to pick up a point. It was a more comfortable afternoon for the top two, who both recorded heavy victories. C of I’s 6-0 win at Quins B – coming via braces from Nick Burns and Stephen Parker, as well as efforts from David Hobbs and Clinton Sweetnam – was to be expected, but Bandon will be furious with themselves for letting Quins put five past them without in west Cork in the Peard Cup quarter-final. With Quins having to do without John Hobbs, Paul Lombard and Sean Nicholson, a full-strength Bandon side would have been hopeful of giving them a good rattle. But conceding 11 corners is never the best idea when Dan Hobbs is around, and he duly dispatched four of them to the backboard. Bandon needed a good start, but probably knew things weren’t going to fall their way when a Brian Hayes Curtin centre found its’ way in off two Bandon defenders in the third minute. And when Hobbs dragged in a second on seven minutes, it was looking like an uphill battle. The hosts’ lack of sharpness and incisiveness proved to be their downfall, as too often they were caught in possession in the middle third. The pace of Paul O’Leary and Ali Smith was nonetheless providing a huge threat on the break, and the latter should have done better when given two bites of the cherry in the ninth minute.

An Edgar Rice drag – nicely stick-saved by Reinout Mensink – was all they had to show for the rest of the half though, and when Hobbs made it three on 50 minutes, the game was all but up. He chalked up two more to give the scoreboard a flattering look, and Quins will be delighted with the result given their lack of match sharpness following an unenforced four-week break. Bandon have yet to hit their stride and will want to stop playing below themselves sooner rather than later, though there was a serious positive in the performance of Andrew Scannell – a recent signing from C of I and a late addition to the matchday squad – who more than held his own in the middle of the park. Bandon Grammar School also hosted the marquee tie of the day in the women’s leagues, with the same two teams doing battle. Bandon have been something of a bogey side for Quins in recent years, and the champions generally struggle to fully shake them off. Today was no different; Bandon led twice thanks to strikes from tyro Anne O’Donovan, but Quins eventually wore them down enough to post a 4-2 win. Jane Bourke cancelled out O’Donovan’s opener to leave it all square at the break, only for the Coláiste na Toirbhirte girl to re-establish the hosts’ lead. But Cliodhna Sargnet flicked home at corner time, before two Karen Bateman strikes gave them breathing room. Quins generally had the better of it in the final quarter, but Eimear White’s excellence in the Bandon goal kept her side in the game. UCC and Catholic Institute nonetheless still lead the way at the top, after both recorded 8-0 wins today. Former Bandon girl Nicky Kingston hit her first goals in a College shirt in their rout of Ashton, who kept the students scoreless from play in the first half only to fold after the break.

Kingston was one of three players to claim doubles – Miriam Crowley and Audrey O’Flynn the others – with Julia O’Halloran and Eibhlín O’Donoghue rounding off the scoring. College will now be glad of a rest following six games in as many days, and will be glad not to have suffered a varsities hangover; last season a 1-0 loss to C of I at this stage ended up costing them the title. Institute continue to impress, although the real tests of their credentials will come down the line when they take on the three sides who finished above them last term. Doubles from Katie Campbell, Rosie Pratt and Kym Daly helped them to an 8-0 win over UL in the second Limerick derby of the season, with skipper Ali English and Keely Cantrell claiming the others. In the day’s other big game, Cork C of I women’s Irish Junior Cup campaign was ended at the first hurdle, as Niamh Codyre’s goal was enough to give Galway a 1-0 first-round win at Garryduff. For Rachel McSharry’s pictures from the Bandon vs Quins men’s game, click here. For Ondine Roche’s pictures from Ashton vs UCC, click here and her photos from the C of I vs Galway IJC game, click here.