Munster’s faint hopes of producing a men’s Irish Hockey League semi-finalist were left in tatters, as Cork C of I and Cork Harlequins both failed to get the results required to keep them in the shake-up.
C of I blew a two-goal advantage at home to Cookstown, finishing with 3-3 draw that did little for either side’s hopes.
John Jermyn tucked away the opener from the penalty spot ater his drag had been blocked by a foot on the line, an advantage doubled by Nigel Buttimer, who finished high to the net following a defensive error.
Stephen Sloan, though, responded from close range before Thomas Hutchinson levelled the tie from the Coolnafranky side’s sixth corner of the tie.
The hosts regained the lead through Nick Burns a minute into the final quarter when David Hobbs loped down the right wing and his cross was met by the diving teenager.
But Cookstown bounced back to equalise for a second time with just three minutes left when C of I failed to clear and Colin Donaldson held his nerve to knock in his side’s third goal.
Only an unlikely bonus-point win against leaders Lisnagarvey and a mathematical miracle elsewhere will now see C of I into the last four.
‘Garvey stayed atop Pool B on goal difference despite losing 3-2 to Glenanne, who join them on 11 points.
Stephen Butler’s rocket drag-flick five minute from time proved the difference, after ‘Garvey had recovered an early two-goal deficit.
In the pool’s dead rubber, a late Ross Canning goal sealed a drab 1-0 win for Three Rock Rovers over Annadale.
Pembroke Wanderers became the first side to earn a place in the last four, after outclassing Corinthian 3-0 with strikes from Alan Sothern, Gordon Elliott and Andy McConnell.
They are guaranteed to finish top of Pool A, with Instonians best-placed to join them after seeing off Cork Harlequins 3-1.
Inst have been quick starters on a couple of occasions this term and repeated the trick when Stuart McWilliams pounced on a third minute corner rebound for 1-0.
It proved the only strike before the big break though the hosts did have to hold out four corners with goalkeeper Nigel Skillen in top form to keep his line in tact.
Into the second half, Matthew Martin spurned a great, one-on-one opportunity before William Robinson doubled the lead in the 46th minute with a well-executed reverse-stick shot.
Steven Redpath had a similar reverse chalked off soon after for back-stick before Dan Hobbs finally found his corner range to tighten the fixture up.
But any momentum was cut short when Rob Hobbs was yellow-carded and in that time, Inst took the initiative with Chris Kirk shooting over, Mark Irwin firing wide and two corners going a begging.
They finally got the insurance goal in the final minute when Redpath roofed a spectacular shot, denying Quins a losing bonus point and ending their interest in the competition.
Inst move up to second and face a vital battle with Corinthian in the final round of fixtures at Whitechurch Park. Banbridge will aim to pick up on any draw or a non-bonus point win at Farmer’s Cross.
Monkstown need a huge amount of factors to go their way and then trounce Pembroke to pick off a semi-final place, despite bringin themselves back into the shake-up with a from-the-dead, 4-3 victory over Banbridge has brought them back into the shake-up.
Domestically, Bandon’s clash with Catholic Institute was all but a dead rubber, yet produced an exciting tie in west Cork, as goals from Ali Smith, David Smith and Graham Kingston – with Dara Crowe and Alan Swanton replying for Institute – enough to seal a 3-2 win for the hosts.
Limerick B completed a remarkable treble, compunding Belvedere’s rotten luck in cup finals this season with a 1-0 victory in the McLean Cup decider at Farmer’s Cross.
Belvedere had by far the better of general play, and normally-reliable marksman Derek O’Sullivan could have had a hat-trick, spurning two one-on-ones and firing just wide on four other occasions.
Belvedere were propelled by the tireless running of Paul Desmond on one flank and the dribbling skills of Andrew Barter on the other.
But with skilful Frenchman Matthieu Pienart dictating matters for Limerick when in possession, they always threatened on the break, as they had done to devastating effect against UCC C in the Barber Cup final the week before.
And so it proved, when a flowing counter-attack move involving Pienart and Stuart Green ended with the ball finding its way to Dylan Gloux, who blasted home past the otherwise impressive Connor Wall with ten minutes to go.
That added the McLean Cup to the Barber Cup and Division 3B title, showcasing why the side should be on their way to bigger things next term. Their A side can also add the Munster Junior Cup to that haul if they can shock Quins B next week, having done the same to C of I B in the last four.
For Belvedere, it left an all-too familiar bitter taste of defeat, the Ballincollig-based club having already lost out in three women’s finals in recent weeks.
