Big wins for C of I and UCC

Cork Church of Ireland and UCC both recorded season-defining results on Saturday, giving the former a shot at the league title while the students are in the box seat to compete for Irish Hockey League qualification for the first time. C of I romped to a surprisingly comfortable 4-1 win away to a sub-par Quins, with John Jermyn, returning after his Olympic near miss with the Irish side, beating a couple down the left before rattling one into the bottom corner to open the scoring. Munster U18 captain Richard Lynch was then given far too much time to turn and shoot for number two, while Chris Daunt had to be at his best to turn a Jermyn drag-flick around the post from C of I’s only corner.

Dan Hobbs did give Quins hope from a short corner, when his initial drag-flick hit runner Philip Sweetnam but the ball fell kindly for Hobbs to crack home a snapshot. Any hopes of a revival were quickly killed off by C of I though, first as Stephen Sweetnam turned and rocketed a trademark reverse to the top corner before Lynch bundled home a rebound off Gary Wilkinson’s initial shot. It leaves the sides tied with just one game each to go, neither a foregone conclusion by any stretch. C of I have to go to UCC while Quins have Bandon at home; a league title playoff will be required should they remain level after those encounters. Meanwhile, UCC finally shook off their Bandon hoodoo with a gritty 1-0 win in a low-key encounter in west Cork. Bandon have ousted UCC for third spot three years running, but Andy Gray mopped up a botched short corner routine in the second half to nail the only strike of the game for College. This had all the hallmarks of a clash between two sides that hadn’t played for the best part of a month on a bone-dry pitch that caused both teams trouble in the spring sunshine. Quality was hard to come by as a result and though it was College who created the most circle entries and chances, Bandon had the best one as a sliding David Smith diverted Alastair Smith’s reverse-stick cross wide from close range. The hosts, missing Scott Sullivan due to Ireland duty while Graham Kingston was again absent, also had a couple of corners but Andrew Scannell couldn’t find his range and College survived. The students hadn’t much luck with their own set-pieces either until midway through the second half. Roger Gray attempted to dribble the first two runners out of the equation but lost control at the last second. It went loose for brother Andrew to pounce on, and he picked a gap between the onrushing Ian Hosford and the post men to sweep home. UCC’s celebrations told much about the importance of winning this to them, and they held out to do just that. Should Bandon fail to get anything from Quins in their last game, College will need just a point from a home game against C of I and a visit to Catholic Institute to reach the IHL wildcard playoffs for the first time. Meanwhile, the day’s other Division 1 game saw Cork C of I B record a comfortable 7-1 victory over Catholic Institute.

Elsewhere, Catholic Institute and Cork Harlequins will contest the women’s Munster Senior Cup final after wins over Ashton and Bandon respectively. Clare Sullivan, always a quietly effective player for Insta this term, bagged two goals in her side’s 5-1 win over an under-strength Ashton, with Elaine Bromell, Eimear Cregan and Róisín Upton sharing out the others. Elaine Redmond produced a super double save as Insta had two players through on her almost from the first whistle, before Elaine Bromell’s short corner rocket put Insta in front. Ashton almost equalised when 14-year-old Michelle Barry was put through one on one with Ciara Ronan by Caroline McCarthy but she was unfortunate to find the visitors’ netminder in top form. The hosts were getting in the mood after that, and when McCarthy was sent clear on the left by Jenny Coughlan on a breakaway, and her finish was perfect for 1-1. But Insta took over thereafter, Cregan reversing home a corner while Upton landed a plum drag-flick, and Claire Sullivan’s brace put some gloss on the scoreline. They’ll meet Quins in a repeat of last year’s final (won 5-2 by Institute) after they laboured to a 1-0 win over Bandon. Elisa Buckley hit the winner against a side shorn a number of their schoolgirls after their Kate Russell exploits in Ulster. The Munster Senior Plate final will be contested between UCC and Cork C of I; the latter had a bye while UCC won 3-0 against UL in Limerick on Saturday. Men Div 1: Cork Harlequins 1 (D Hobbs) Cork C of I 4 (R Lynch 2, J Jermyn, S Sweetnam); Bandon 0 UCC 1 (A Gray); Cork C of I B 7 Catholic Institute 1. Women’s Munster Senior Cup semi-finals: Ashton 1 (C McCarthy) Catholic Institute 5 (C Sullivan 2, E Bromell, E Cregan, R Upton); Cork Harlequins 1 (E Buckley) Bandon 0. Munster Senior Plate semi-final: UL 0 UCC 3.