Burns leaves Quins’ hopes in ashes

Cork Harlequins were left cursing themselves for going to sleep at the start of extra-time, allowing Cork Church of Ireland to plunder a  golden-goal victory in Saturday’s Munster Senior Cup semi-final at Farmer’s Cross. Nick Burns was left unmarked at the back post to tap home Stephen  Sweetnam’s swept cross just 78 seconds into the extra period, after the sides had been left deadlocked at 1-1 following normal time of a disappointing encounter. C of I dominated the first half, with Chris Daunt by far the busier of the two keepers, repelling two John Jermyn drag-flicks and one from Nick Burns, as well as thwarting Philip Sweetnam and David Hobbs.

Billy Lynch was doing his bit for C of I when Quins did raid on the counter, smothering both Rob Hobbs and David Eakins. But there was nothing he could do about Quins’ go-ahead goal on 48 minutes. That came from the hosts’ first penalty corner, the end of a concerted period of pressure which had seen David Egner narrowly miss chances on both his openside and reverse. Eakins’ drag was well-saved by Lynch, but injector Jason Black calmly flicked the ball back across the grounded netminder for 1-0. C of I equalised seven minutes later with a fine goal that had David Hobbs’ – who otherwise had a quiet afternoon – fingerprints all over it. His long aerial found Richard Lynch who played out from the left corner to Andrew Daunt. He squared for the onrushing Hobbs, who swept to the back post where Philip Sweetnam was waiting to pounce. Although Daunt repelled his first effort, the former UCC main flicked the rebound over him. Jermyn began to take the tie by the scruff of the neck in a bid to get a C of I winner, but it was Quins who went closest in the dying minutes, Colin Ross taking out Lynch and squaring for Lee d’Alton, whose goalbound sweep was calmly taken off the line by Phil Smith. Rob Hobbs then found himself yello-carded in not long before the end of normal time. The Quins right-back’s foot seemed to be accidentally stood on by Daunt, but a blindsided Hobbs lashed out in reaction and paid an unfortunate price. Extra-time loomed large, but the finish was something of an anti-climax, as Quins’ concentration let them down and Burns took full advantage. They will now face Bandon in the final at Garryduff on March 26; the west Cork side were in league action yesterday, skipper Ali Smith ending a recent goalscoring drought in style with a brace that helped them to a 3-1 win at Quins B. In an evenly contested game, Bandon took the lead through Ali Smith from close range after a short corner that broke down wasn’t cleared properly by the Quins defence. Quins had plenty of possession thereafter, but despite earning numerous short corners themselves, it was close to half time before they equalised through Eddie Gash, who finally made a set piece count.

Bandon again took the lead through Ali Smith, who earned his second from a well-worked set piece after a spell of dominance by Bandon. Harlequins worked hard to get back into the match in the second half, and although hampered by the loss of Colin Ross at due to illness and an injury to Darren Farrell, continued to have plenty of possession and earned numerous corners. They were to find the Bandon keeper Ian Hosford in fine form though, and were made to regret their profligacy in front of goal when Bandon turned over the ball at the half way line, broke quickly and  Aidan Walsh neatly in the corner to secure the win for the west Cork side. Quins go to the Mardyke on Tuesday evening to play UCC hoping for a more encouraging performance, before their Irish Junior Cup quarter final next weekend at home to Three Rock Rovers. They will meet a College side who have restored their confidence after Fionn O’Leary’s quadruple — which included a first-half hat-trick — was the catalyst for UCC’s 7-2 victory away to struggling Catholic Institute. Dave Gash’s crash ball was deflected by Nathan Gokul for O’Leary to gobble up the opener, before a pair of Roger Gray strikes – a top-corner drag-flick and a straight hit – had College three to the good with barely 10 minutes on the clock. O’Leary roofed a reverse and then stuck another into the bottom corner to complete his treble, before Ed Gleeson got one back from the push-out spot for Institute. Graham Catchpole then notched a rare goal for College, eventually forcing home after a series of rebounds, to leave it 6-1 at half-time. O’Leary dispatched Andy Gray’s reverse-stick cross for the seventh, and Institute eventually got a reward for their second-half pressure when Dara Crowe turned Rowan Fitzgerald’s crash ball home for the Limerick side’s second. Further afield, Annadale caused the shock of the Irish Senior Cup  quarter-finals by seeing off favourites Lisnagarvey on penalty strokes  following a 2-2 draw, adding the County Down outfit to a fine list of scalps which also includes Glenanne. Their reward is a tie against  Cookstown, who vanquished Fingal 3-0 with the Sloan brothers, Ian and Stephen, — sons of former Irish  international great Marty — collecting all the Tyrone outfit’s goals. 2008 finalists Monkstown will carry Leinster’s hopes after Gareth Watkins’ golden goal helped them see off Instonians 4-3 in a thriller at  Rathdown, and they’ll now play  Banbridge, 2-0 victors over surprise package NICS, in the last four. Of the semi-final quartet – who will face off at UCD on April 16 – none has won the trophy in modern times. Cookstown last claimed it in 1987 and Banbridge the year before, but you’ve to go back to 1914 for Monkstown’s sole victory came in 1914 while Annadale have been beaten finalists twice, losing on both occasions, most recently to Glenanne in 2007. Irish Senior Cup quarter-finals Cookstown 3 (I Sloan 2, S Sloan) Fingal 0; Annadale 2 (N Hamilton 2) Lisnagarvey 2 (M Raphael, D Grey) (aet, Annadale win 5-3 on penalty strokes); NICS 0 Banbridge 2 (R McCandless 2); Monkstown 4 (K Good, A Ewington, B Groves, G Watkins) Instonians 3 (T Welshman, M Irwin, I Pannu) (aet, golden goal); Semi-finals (April 16, UCD): Cookstown vs Annadale; Banbridge v Monkstown. Munster Senior Cup semi-final Cork Harlequins 1 (J Black) Cork C of I 2 (P Sweetnam, N Burns) (aet, golden goal). Final (March 26, Garryduff): Bandon vs C of I. Munster Div 1 Catholic Institute 2 (E Gleeson, D Crowe) UCC 7 (F O’Leary 4, R Gray 2, G Catchpole); Cork Harlequins B 1 (E Gash) Bandon 3 (A Smith 2, A Walsh)