Tyro Taylor forces another playoff

It’s title play-off time once more in Munster after Cork Harlequins were held to a 2-2 draw by Catholic Institute in an intriguing  clash in dense fog at Farmer’s Cross on Saturday. The result leaves Quins and UCC deadlocked at the summit on 36 points for the second year in succession. Branch rules dictate that with goal difference not coming into the equation, the sides must play a one-off clash to determine the destination of the league crown.

Whereas the sides tossed for home advantage last time out — with Quins going on to win 3-2 — this time the tie will be played on neutral ground at Garryduff on a date to be decided, but likely to be within the next week. While an extra fixture at exam time is hardly ideal for the students, they can be glad to still be in the shake-up after Institute produced a braveperformance which denied Quins the victory that would have given them a 15th successive title. Elaine Bromell gave a defensive masterclass for the Limerick side, who sealed third place and a shot at the Irish Hockey League wildcard playoffs with this result. Institute led twice against the run of play, opening the scoring on the stroke of half-time. Before that, Karen Bateman had cracked one against the post and a couple of corners had gone begging for Quins, while Naomi Carroll had put a couple of attempts narrowly wide at the other end. But Carroll made amends on 34 minutes when she was played in by Rebecca Barry’s piercing pass, outpacing Jessie Morris and drawing Quins keeper Amy O’Neill, before squaring for Rosie Pratt to convert the overload. The nightmare scenario of calling the game off was a real fear as the ground was increasingly shrouded in thick fog, but an orange ball was introduced for the second period to ensure things could continue despite the low visibility. With Rachael Kohler expertly pulling the strings and Rachel McSharry and Yvonne O’Byrne regularly getting to the bylines, Quins had more useful possession. Institute also had to survive the second half sin-binnings of Sheena Mannion and Pratt, but Quins were profligate with their chances, until 14-year-old Acacia Taylor deflected home Bateman’s corner strike.

A rocket from Ireland U16 starlet Roisin Upton surprisingly restored Institute’s lead, the Crescent College Comprehensive girl drifting across the top of the circle before finding the bottom corner. But Taylor pegged the deficit back again with a carbon copy of her first goal eight minutes from time. While the UCC supporters on the sideline willed Institute to go in search of a winner, Ger O’Carroll’s troops sensibly wound the clock down to ensure their place in the wildcard. They go into that competition on May 15 without the services of tyro forward Katie Campbell, who also missed Saturday’s encounter with what is thought to be a serious cruciate ligament injury. At the other end of the table, Belvedere sealed bounced back to the top flights at the first attempt by amazingly routing UL 7-1 in a promotion/relegation playoff at Rosbrien. Bryan O’Donovan’s side had far too much firepower for the out-of-sorts Limerick students, with Mount Mercy schoolgirl Allyson Moore bagging a hat-trick in a surprisingly one-sided affair. Fiona Murphy claimed a brace for the Ballincollig outfit, with Jen O’Leary and Annemarie Dooley also on target. Helen O’Connell hit UL’s consolation. Meanwhile, Cork Church of Ireland completed a domestic treble in facile style, hammering an under-strength Catholic Institute 11-0 in the Peard Cup final. The initial St Stephen’s Day fixture had been frozen off, and the impetus Institute had at that stage of the season has long since disappeared.

Nick Burns, Nigel Buttimer, John Jermyn and David Hobbs all claimed doubles for C of I, who added the Peard crown to their Munster league and senior cup victories. In the league’s remaining fixture, two Dan Hobbs drag-flicks gave Cork Harlequins a workmanlike 2-0 win over Bandon in a dead rubber. Quins B took the Munster Junior Cup honours with Darren Farrell’s pair of drags the difference in a 3-1 defeat of Limerick. Farrell put his side ahead on 56 seconds, only for Robbie Ryan’s corner goal to restore parity three minutes later. But with Ryan largely well shepherded by Peter Carroll as Limerick sought to play on the break, Farrell repeated the trick on 20 minutes to regain the advantage. Quins continued to work the oracle, owning the majority of possession, and Ross Bateman finished off a neat team goal after interplay with Stephen Wolfe on 47 minutes to secure the win. Elsewhere, Monkstown and Glenanne will make it an all-Leinster Irish Senior Cup final after they got the better of Annadale and Three Rock Rovers, respectively in the last four. ‘Town remain on course for an incredible senior and junior double after they produced yet another of their now trademark wins, Andrew Ward the hero for the second week running with the final touch to beat their Belfast opponents on golden goal. Glenanne’s win at Grange Road — their third this term — was more routine, running up a 2-0 win over Rovers with a goal in each half. Gary Shaw struck in the eighth minute to set the ball rolling before Stephen Butler closed out the win with a corner drag-flick with 13 minutes gone in the second half to seal their passage and keep hopes alive of a third ISC title. To view the full set of Ondine Roche’s picture from Quins vs Institute, click here.