Quins move one step closer

It’s been a fallow few seasons for Cork Harlequins in national competitions, but they continued to roll back the years in stunning style on Saturday to see off Banbridge 2-1 and progress to the Irish Senior Cup semi-finals. As they had done against Annadale in the previous round five months ago, the 2006 champions reprised the spirit of that success as their veterans gear up for one last tilt at an Irish crown. David Eakins played in David Lombard to reverse home the opener against Bann, only for Peter Brown to collect Scott Forbes’ cross and slam home for a half-time stalemate.

But Colin Ross blasted one in from the top of the circle off a lightning counter-attack to win it, a victory that could have been more comfortable had Bann netminder Gareth Lennox not twice denied Paul Lombard in one-on-ones. Encouraginly for Quins, the semi-final draw pits them against the tournament’s other surprise package, Instonians. They saw off NICS 1-0 thanks to Julian Lewis’ winner 45 seconds from time, and will hold no fears for Quins given the Cork side beat them 3-2 in the Irish Hockey League this term. That was on the Farmer’s Cross sand however, whereas the sides will meet on neutral territory at Belfield this time around as the world’s oldest hockey tournament has now reverted to a “finals weekend” format. Railway Union will play Lisnagarvey in the other last four tie after they removed Leinster’s big two. Railway were short on possession but had a clinical edge as Rob Abbott, Peter English and Eoin MacArthur propelled Ireland’s most improved side to a 3-0 win over Glenanne. That gives them a first semi-final berth in 15 seasons, but cup specialists ‘Garvey will be tough opponents. They overcame a scoreless first half as Timmy Cockram and Greg Thompson struck to see off Pembroke Wanderers 3-0. Anna O’Flanagan’s winner saw UCD undo women’s Irish Senior Cup favourites Pegasus once more — as the students had in the 2009 final — on a 2-1 scoreline. They’ll now meet Railway in the semis, a daunting task after the Dubliners stunned Armagh with a 9-0 away victory, Zara Delany hitting four of those. Loreto made it three Leinster sides in the semis with another emphatic victory, racing past Old Alex 5-0 with Nicci Daly and Cathy McKean contributing to a 3-0 half-time lead. They will play Queen’s University in the semi-finals after Julie Allison trickled home the only goal of the tie with Trinity at Griffeen Valley Park.

Meanwhile, Cork C of I have forced a Munster men’s league title playoff against Cork Harlequins after overcoming a stout UCC defensive effort to win 4-1 at the Mardyke. Knowing only a win would do, the blues were in tetchy form from the off, although Stephen Sweetnam eased any early nerves when slinging home a high drag-flick from his side’s first corner. But it didn’t take College long to cancel it out. Their first set-piece saw a neatly-disguised switch-right to Roger Gray – captaining the side on what may be his last home game for the club – and he  carried past the second runner before flicking home at the near post. 1-1 was how it stayed until the break, with C of I having the better chances but finding Kieran Healy in inspired form between the sticks for UCC, though John Jermyn did ding the post after turning over Adam O’Callaghan while the Irish international also took an Andy Gray drag-flick off the line at the other end. Despite the absence of shoulder injury victim Fionn O’Leary, UCC were happy to play the aerial counter-attack game with what little possession they had. But it was mostly backs-to-the-wall stuff as  C of I – for whom Andrew Daunt and Phil Smith played little part due to to injury – went for the jugular. They finally got the breakthrough midway through the half when Jermyn rattled a drag-flick to the bottom corner, and he performed more heroics at the other end too when directing another Andy Gray drag over the bar. Gray then mistrapped an aerial to let David Harvey in behind the UCC rearguard, and he picked out the unmarked Gary Wilkinson who controlled and bashed to the bottom corner for 3-1. With the result now safe and the students tiring from having to defend for so long, Clinton Sweetnam bagged the goal of the game in the final minutes, swerving past two tacklers on the left endline, before rounding Healy and tapping in. The three points means C of I and Quins finish level at the top of the standings with UCC in third, necessitating a league title playoff. That fixture has yet to be decided but with neither side in action at the IHL finals, they could yet be set for a May bank holiday weekend showdown.