UCC off the mark while C of I repel Bandon

Cork Church of Ireland’s youngsters stepped up to the mark in style as they guided the Munster champions to a 4-1 win over Bandon yesterday. C of I had to do without John Jermyn and Billy Lynch due to international commitments, but Philip Sweetnam bagged a brace and Nick Burns another to render Andrew Scannell’s strike against his old club academic. Bandon arguably created as many openings as C of I, but the hosts were simply more clinical, with Burns letting his hockey do the talking after a frustrating few months on the sidelines due to suspension.

Sweetnam’s deflection opened the scoring before Phil Smith added another from play for a 2-0 lead at half-time. Scannell brought Bandon back into the mix with a drag-flick, but Burns did likewise at the other end to restore a two-goal cushion, before former UCC man Sweetnam slammed home a rebound. Cork Harlequins still lead they way on goal difference – both clubs have six wins from six – after David Eakins and Mark Black both grabbed hat-tricks in their facile 10-1 win over C of I B. Paul Lombard, David Egner, Eddie Dore and Darren Farrell also found the net for the hosts, with Mark Holmes hitting C of I B’s consolation. Elsewhere, two goal of the season contenders provided the highlights as UCC outclassed Catholic Institute 7-1 for their first league victory yesterday. Roger Gray’s low drag-flick from their first corner – they went on to win 11 of them – settled any early nerves, and Fionn O’Leary doubled that advantage when getting the decisive touch amid a goalmouth scramble. Institute had their moments too, chiefly through the industry of Gary Atchinson and the pace and movement of Justin O’Sullivan, while UCC’s John Catchpole had to be alert to prevent a one-on-one scenario unfolding at the back. But Roger Gray then killed the game as a contest with a stunning strike, cutting in from the right and finding the far top corner with a reverse-stick strike from the top of the circle. Institute thought they’d been awarded a lifeline via a penalty stroke when Mark Welch was adjudged to have impeded Atchinson as he shaped to shoot. Vehement protesting from College saw the decision overturned – as the ball had been played directly into the circle from a sideline hit inside the 25 – but Welch nonetheless was shown yellow for his indiscretion. It made little difference to the flow of the encounter though, with the woodword denying Gray his hat-trick as College turned over 3-0 up at the break, before Andy Gray’s drag made it four. Roger Gray finally nabbed his hat-trick when dribbling around the Institute runners at a corner before powering home, before Institute replied in kind with a slick switch-right move, finished high and hard by Atchinson’s flick.

Mark Barry’s tap-in made it six for College, before O’Leary somehow bettered Gray’s earlier effort. The latter started a counter-attacking move, feeding the impressive Peter Catchpole. The former Ireland U18 starlet’s direct pass was reached by O’Leary ahead of Institute netminder Tristan Murphy, and the ex-Bandon man produced a vicious reverse-stick effort from a tight angle which found the far top corner and give the covering Institute defenders no chance. Meanwhile, men’s Irish Junior Cup holders Monkstown survived a sticky first-round tie against Raphoe, winning 2-1, while Cork Harlequins notched a notable 2-0 success at South Antrim to setup a home tie with North Down. Mark Lombard and Rob Hobbs got the all-important strikes there, and Quins will be quietly confident of their chances of going on a decent run in this competition. That also applies to Bandon, for whom the dubious reward for an excellent 2-0 win over Fingal in west Cork is a long trek to Banbridge. Trevor Martin and Colin Kingston hit the target for the hosts. UCC bowed out after a 5-2 loss at Mossley in a bustling encounter at The Glade. The hosts went 2-0 up by half time and added a third after the break, but Conor O’Kelly pulled hard on a loose ball to reduce the deficit. Having missed a penalty stroke, the hosts moved 4-1 in front before former Suttonians man David Curley got on the end of Colin Manning’s diagonal ball to roof the ball with a deflection on his reverse. But Mossley put the game to bed on the counter as College poured forward in hope of salvaging something from the tie. Men’s Div 1 Cork C of I 4 (N Burns 2, P Sweetnam 2) Bandon 1 (A Scannell) Cork Harlequins 10 (D Eakins 3, M Black 3, E Dore, D Egner, P Lombard, D Farrell) Cork C of I B 1 (M Holmes) UCC 7 (R Gray 3, F O’Leary 2, M Barry, A Gray) Catholic Institute 1 (G Atchinson) Irish Junior Cup Rd 1 (Munster teams’ results only, full results available here) Bandon 2 (T Martin, C Kingston) Fingal 0; Mossley 5 UCC 2 (C O’Kelly, D Curley); South Antrim 0 Cork Harlequins 2 (M Lombard, R Hobbs); Round 2 (January 22): Bangor vs Mossley; Lisnagarvey vs Monkstown; Glenanne vs NICS; Cork Harlequins vs North Down; YMCA vs Three Rock Rovers; Banbridge vs Bandon; Railway Union vs Pembroke; Annadale vs Corinthian.