Bandon edge nine-goal thriller

Hat-trick hero Andrew Scannell’s ever-improving short corner conversion rate proved the difference as Bandon edged out C of I B 5-4 in west Cork yesterday. With C of I’s firsts not in action until tonight, the Garryduff seconds were able to field their Irish Junior Cup side with Philip Sweetnam and Andrew Daunt coming in to strengthen their effort. The hosts, who know they will secure at least third place at College’s expense provided they match the students’ results for the remainder of the season, went ahead through Andrew Scannell’s drag-flick.

Daunt equalised from the flick spot after a ball struck David Smith’s body on the line, before Philip Burns scored the goal of the game, lobbing the advancing Andrew Whittaker from the left-hand edge of the circle. Bandon broke away after a C of I short corner went begging and won one of their own, which Scannell converted for 3-1, but Sweetnam kept C of I in it with a solo effort. David Smith pushed Bandon out to 4-2 before Scannell completed his hat-trick from a short corner breakdown to seemingly make the game safe. However, Bandon’s patience let them down as they gave away possession all too willingly, allowing Sweetnam to notch two quickfire strikes to make a treble of his own, but there was to be no equaliser. Elsewhere, Cork Harlequins moved top of the table with a routine 8-0 victory over Catholic Institute – in which David Eakins netted a hat-trick with Darren Farrell, John Hobbs, David Egner, Mark Black and Lee d’Alton also on target – by three points, though C of I can draw level if they beat Quins B tonight in their game in hand. Farrell was also on the scoresheet twice – along with Mark Lombard – as Quins’ seconds blasted past North Down 6-1 in the Irish Junior Cup, with Adam Daunt-Sheehan and Colin Ross completing the scoring. Bandon’s clash with Banbridge was postponed due to the weather, while Monkstown’s reign as champions is over as Stuart McQueen scored the only goal of the game in Hillsborough to hand Lisnagarvey passage into the quarter-finals. A golden goal reverse from Jody Hosking – who had done for C of I in round one –  broke the tie at Milltown as Three Rock beat YMCA 2-1, while Pembroke kept alive their hopes of repeating 2008?s success as they got the better of Railway Union in the Sandymount derby, 2-1, Craig Wilson and Scott Furlong on the mark. Glenanne eased to a 5-0 success over Civil Service while Corinthian are still in the competition but have to negotiate an Annadale hurdle in round two after Saturday’s tie was frozen off. Bangor saw off Mossley, conquerors of UCC in round one, 2-1. The draw has yet to be made for the quarter-finals.

Navan fought back to grab a place in the second round of the men’s Irish Hockey Trophy as keeper Emmet Moore made the vital intervention at King’s Hospital, winning out 5-4 on penalty strokes in the final reckoning against Armagh. Rathgar Chiefs won their first national level fixture on golden goal, beating city rivals Suttonians while an inspired Clontarf racked up a 6-1 success over division two table-toppers Avoca. The Chiefs will have home advantage in the last eight against either Raphoe or UCC – their clash in Donegal was frosted off. Munster Div 1 Cork Harlequins 8 (D Eakins 3, J Hobbs, M Black, L d’Alton, D Farrell, D Egner) Catholic Institute 0; Bandon 5 (A Scannell 3, D Smith, P Burns) Cork C of I B 4 (P Sweetnam 3, A Daunt). Irish Hockey Trophy Rd 1 Newry P Antrim P; Clontarf 6 (T Noonan 3, R Forrest, A Butler, A Gardener) Avoca 1 (R Pearson); Navan 1 (S Clarke) Armagh 1 (J Brown) (aet, Navan won 5-4 on penalty strokes; Rathgar Chiefs 3 (D Coady 2, D Needham) Suttonians 2; Cliftonville P Portadown P; Queens P Belfast Harlequins P;  Dublin University P South Antrim P; Raphoe P UCC P; Men’s Irish Junior Cup Rd 2 Bangor 2 (J McNaught, D McClune) Mossley 1 (S Beatty); Lisnagarvey 1 (S McQueen) Monkstown 0; Glenanne 5 (C O’Neill 2, D Kehoe, C Kennedy, S O’Connor) NICS 0; Cork Harlequins 6 (M Lombard 2, D Farrell 2, A Daunt-Sheehan, C Ross) North Down 1 (S Magee); YMCA 1 (W Armstrong) Three Rock Rovers 2 (R Varian, J Hosking); Railway Union 1 (O Butler) Pembroke 2 (C Wilson, S Furlong); Banbridge P Bandon P; Annadale P Corinthian P.