Insta and Quins take Munster glory

Catholic Institute’s women and Cork Harlequins’ men claimed the Munster Senior Cups at Garryduff on Saturday, both winning tight encounters by the odd goal in three. Only Cork Harlequins have managed to be realistic rivals to Institute this season as the Limerick club went in search of a ‘double double’, and so it proved again as they pushed them all the way in a 2-1 defeat. This was a high-quality encounter with numerous chances, particularly in the first half. Róisín Upton took a Karen Bateman bullet off the line while Ciara Ronan touched a Bateman reverse onto the post as Quins looked dangerous, despite missing totemic midfielder Rachel McSharry. Insta had their opportunities too and when the opening goal arrived, it was one of real quality. Rebecca Barry collected a pass and turned brilliantly in the same movement to give her the space to weight a pass into the circle for Eimear Cregan, who drifted across Vanessa Sargent and finished into the empty goal.

But it wasn’t long before Quins were level, Andrea Bickerdike getting the vital touch after Yvonne O’Byrne’s crash ball caused havoc in the Institute circle. The second half was lower on intensity and chances – bar a stunning goal-saving block from O’Byrne on Naomi Carroll – until Cregan claimed  the winner with seven minutes to go. Cliodhna Sargent was caught in possession near halfway by Cregan and Carroll, and her protestations that the ball struck in Institute foot went unrewarded as Carroll played in Cregan to again round Vanessa Sargent and finish past the covering Quins defenders. Quins almost hauled it level again in the last minuye when Bickerdike got a super touch to Bateman’s late crash, but it just cleared the crossbar and Insta hung on to take the spoils. Elsewhere, UCC claimed the Munster Senior Plate with a 3-1 win over Cork C of I. Steffi Bowe and Ali O’Regan had College two up before Amy Roberts hit back for an in-form C of I, but Emily O’Leary struck in the final minutes to make sure for the students. Meanwhile, Cork Harlequins spoiled Cork Church of Ireland’s celebration of 100 years of men’s hockey at the Garryduff club, as the Farmer’s Cross side claimed a shock 2-1 Munster Senior Cup final victory. David Eakins’ golden goal drag-flick four minutes from the end of extra-time completed a smash and grab raid by underdogs Quins, who led through Brian Hayes Curtin only for John Jermyn to level it with a trademark drag-flick. C of I had more of the ball and won the corner count 5-3 but Irish international hitman Jermyn found Chris Daunt in superb form between the sticks for Quins. This was a poor quality encounter, with little goalmouth action until the 23rd minute when C of I captain Billy Lynch saved well from an Eakins drag.

Quins’ opening goal arrived on the stroke of half-time and was neat in its execution. Phil McLaughlin deflected David Lombard’s pass onto the post but Jermyn dallied when attempting to clear and Quins robbed the ball back in the D, working it around to Brian Hayes Curtin to finish well. C of I did likewise in the second half as David Hobbs, Alec Moffett and Stephen Sweetnam combined to take Chris Daunt out of the equation, but Philip Sweetnam’s goal-bound reverse was taken off the line by a covering Quins defender. The hosts nonetheless looked determined to make a breakthrough and eventually arrived when Stephen Sweetnam won their first corner on 47 minutes and Jermyn slung it into the top corner. Paul Lombard then missed a glorious chance for Quins, smashing wide from near the penalty spot with just Lynch to beat after David Egner had cleverly directed a crash ball his way. The game livened up in the closing period of the second half, as Daunt won his penalty corner battle with Jermyn while McLaughlin again dinged the post with a deflection. The cards also started to flow as C of I’s Richard Lynch and Quins’ David Lombard both spent time in the naughty chair, but it was Eakins who won it late in extra time with a well-placed drag. It wasn’t all doom and gloom for C of I though – their fifths claimed the Barber Cup, winning on penalty strokes against a stout Ashton side. The Blackrock Road outfit spent 40 minutes with 10 men after Mikey O’Halloran’s two yellow cards were upgraded to a red but defended brilliantly with Ian Buckley outstanding in goal before becoming undone in the shootout. Women’s Munster Senior Cup final Cork Harlequins 1 (A Bickerdike) Catholic Institute 2 (E Cregan 2); Women’s Munster Senior Plate final Cork C of I 1 (A Roberts) UCC 3 (S Bowe, A O’Regan, E O’Leary); Men’s Munster Senior Cup final Cork C of I 1 (J Jermyn) Cork Harlequins 2 (B Hayes Curtin, D Eakins) (aet, golden goal);