The demise of Cork Harlequins as a national force was ruthlessly exposed by Banbridge on Saturday, as they claimed a facile 8-0 Irish Senior Cup first round win at Farmer’s Cross.
Quins, 2012 champions but since decimated by retirements – including Mark Black, pictured below – lost to Bandon for the first time in Munster league history on Thursday night and things only got worse as an impressive Banbridge side ran riot, Stephen Dowds bagging a hat-trick.
Bann – who have yet to taste defeat this term – will have to return to Leeside for round two having been drawn away to Cork Church of Ireland, who should provide a sterner test of their credentials.
On Thursday, David Smith’s strike seven minutes from time – coming after Alastair Smith’s scything 70-metre run – did the damage for Bandon. Quins had the majority of possession but couldn’t break down a well-organised defence.
The other surprisingly one-sided ISC tie saw Glenanne rout Railway Union 6-1, reversing a 2-0 Leinster league defeat in the process. UCC’s backs to the wall effort wasn’t enough as they lost 3-0 away to holders Monkstown, while Ross Canning’s crisp reverse-stick strike a couple of minutes from time helped UCD shake off Instonians 3-2.
Cork Harlequins’ women showed their mettle by coming from two goals down with 10 minutes remaining to clinch a 3-2 extra time victory at Belfast Harlequins, Cliodhna Sargent and Abby Oakes reeling in the hosts before Alex O’Grady bagged the winner. They must hit the road again in round two to face Old Alex.
Quins carry the flag for Munster on their own after Catholic Institute and UCC both came unstuck in Ulster. Ards hammered Institute 5-1 while two early goals proved enough for Queens University to beat College, who belatedly shook the journey out of their legs but still fell to a 2-0 loss.
Nikki Evans claimed five as UCD cruised to a 10-1 over Corinthian, while four Railway Union players claimed doubles in their 9-0 stroll against North Kildare.
Domestically, Ashton missed a big opportunity to scalp an under-strength Cork C of I as the Garryduff girls held on for a 2-1 win, despite a fine deflected Caroline McCarthy effort from visitors.
Limerick and Bandon claimed their first wins of the season to steal a march on the sides around them at the lower end of the table.
Goals from Laura Foley, Lucy Schuke and Jenni Lyttle did the damage for Limerick as they edged UL 3-2, while short corner strikes in either half from teenagers Ingrid Burns and Saoirse O’Leary did the trick for Bandon in their 2-0 defeat of Fermoy.
In the men’s league, Cork Church of Ireland cruised to a 7-1 victory over their own seconds to maintain their 100% record.
Electric Ireland Women’s Irish Senior Cup, first round: North Kildare 0 Railway Union 9 (K Lloyd 2, Orla Fox 2, Jean McDonnell 2, Alex Speers 2, Kate Dillon); Ards 5 (Janice Vaughan, Katy Bennett, Lynn Mills, Amy Benson, Sara Alexander) Catholic Institute 1 (Emma Sherlock); Armagh 3 (S Knipe 3) Trinity College 1 (S Marshall); Queens 2 (Hannah McMillan, Joanne Orr) UCC 0; Belfast Harlequins 2 Cork Harlequins 3 (Cliodhna Sargent, Abby Oakes, Alex O’Grady) (aet); UCD 10 (N Evans 5, A O’Flanagan 2, D Duke 2, J Deacon) Corinthians 1; Randalstown 1 (SJ McClung) Ballymoney 2 (N Parke); Pegasus vs Glenanne, abandoned due to broken floodlight
Second round draw: Railway Union vs Hermes; Pembroke vs Greenfields; Old Alex vs Cork Harlequins; Armagh vs Lurgan; UCD vs Ards; Pegasus/Glenanne vs Ballymoney; Loreto vs Queens; Ulster Elks vs Lisnagarvey
Munster Div 1: Bandon 2 (S O’Leary, I Burns) Fermoy 0; Limerick 3 (L Foley, L Schuke, J Lyttle) UL 2; Cork C of I 2 Ashton 1 (C McCarthy)
Men’s Irish Senior Cup, first round: Glenanne 6 (D Keogh, E O’Malley, G Shaw, N Byrne, S Brownlow, R Rixon-Fuller) Railway Union 1 (R Abbott); Cork Harlequins 0 Banbridge 8 (S Dowds 3, S Magowan 2, J Moffett, E Magee, B McCandless); YMCA 0 Lisnagarvey 2 (A Williamson 2); Monkstown 3 (R Sykes, A Ewington, R Watkins) UCC 0; Rathgar 0 Cookstown 4 (own goal, R Miller, G Allen, M Crooks); Raphoe 1 Fingal 3 (S Dempsey, J McKeever, L Hayden); UCD 3 (R Canning 2, N Burns) Instonians 2 (P Gleghorne, J Corry); Annadale 3 (C Morrow, M Robson, R Kerrigan) Kilkeel 5 (E Agnew 2, M Stevenson, D Glenny, G Niblock)
Second round: Mossley vs Corinthian; Fingal vs NICS; Glenanne vs Kilkeel; Portadown vs Monkstown; Cork C of I vs Banbridge; Lisnagarvey vs UCD; Belfast Harlequins vs Three Rock Rovers; Cookstown vs Pembroke
Munster Div 1: Cork C of I 7 (P Sweetnam 2, J Jermyn, S Sweetnam 2, S Wolfe 2) Cork C of I B 1 (C Buttimer); Cork Harlequins 0 Bandon 1 (D Smith)
On Thursday, David Smith’s strike seven minutes from time – coming after Alastair Smith’s scything 70-metre run – did the damage for Bandon. Quins had the majority of possession but couldn’t break down a well-organised defence.
The other surprisingly one-sided ISC tie saw Glenanne rout Railway Union 6-1, reversing a 2-0 Leinster league defeat in the process. UCC’s backs to the wall effort wasn’t enough as they lost 3-0 away to holders Monkstown, while Ross Canning’s crisp reverse-stick strike a couple of minutes from time helped UCD shake off Instonians 3-2.
Cork Harlequins’ women showed their mettle by coming from two goals down with 10 minutes remaining to clinch a 3-2 extra time victory at Belfast Harlequins, Cliodhna Sargent and Abby Oakes reeling in the hosts before Alex O’Grady bagged the winner. They must hit the road again in round two to face Old Alex.
Quins carry the flag for Munster on their own after Catholic Institute and UCC both came unstuck in Ulster. Ards hammered Institute 5-1 while two early goals proved enough for Queens University to beat College, who belatedly shook the journey out of their legs but still fell to a 2-0 loss.
Nikki Evans claimed five as UCD cruised to a 10-1 over Corinthian, while four Railway Union players claimed doubles in their 9-0 stroll against North Kildare.
Domestically, Ashton missed a big opportunity to scalp an under-strength Cork C of I as the Garryduff girls held on for a 2-1 win, despite a fine deflected Caroline McCarthy effort from visitors.
Limerick and Bandon claimed their first wins of the season to steal a march on the sides around them at the lower end of the table.
Goals from Laura Foley, Lucy Schuke and Jenni Lyttle did the damage for Limerick as they edged UL 3-2, while short corner strikes in either half from teenagers Ingrid Burns and Saoirse O’Leary did the trick for Bandon in their 2-0 defeat of Fermoy.
In the men’s league, Cork Church of Ireland cruised to a 7-1 victory over their own seconds to maintain their 100% record.
Electric Ireland Women’s Irish Senior Cup, first round: North Kildare 0 Railway Union 9 (K Lloyd 2, Orla Fox 2, Jean McDonnell 2, Alex Speers 2, Kate Dillon); Ards 5 (Janice Vaughan, Katy Bennett, Lynn Mills, Amy Benson, Sara Alexander) Catholic Institute 1 (Emma Sherlock); Armagh 3 (S Knipe 3) Trinity College 1 (S Marshall); Queens 2 (Hannah McMillan, Joanne Orr) UCC 0; Belfast Harlequins 2 Cork Harlequins 3 (Cliodhna Sargent, Abby Oakes, Alex O’Grady) (aet); UCD 10 (N Evans 5, A O’Flanagan 2, D Duke 2, J Deacon) Corinthians 1; Randalstown 1 (SJ McClung) Ballymoney 2 (N Parke); Pegasus vs Glenanne, abandoned due to broken floodlight
Second round draw: Railway Union vs Hermes; Pembroke vs Greenfields; Old Alex vs Cork Harlequins; Armagh vs Lurgan; UCD vs Ards; Pegasus/Glenanne vs Ballymoney; Loreto vs Queens; Ulster Elks vs Lisnagarvey
Munster Div 1: Bandon 2 (S O’Leary, I Burns) Fermoy 0; Limerick 3 (L Foley, L Schuke, J Lyttle) UL 2; Cork C of I 2 Ashton 1 (C McCarthy)
Men’s Irish Senior Cup, first round: Glenanne 6 (D Keogh, E O’Malley, G Shaw, N Byrne, S Brownlow, R Rixon-Fuller) Railway Union 1 (R Abbott); Cork Harlequins 0 Banbridge 8 (S Dowds 3, S Magowan 2, J Moffett, E Magee, B McCandless); YMCA 0 Lisnagarvey 2 (A Williamson 2); Monkstown 3 (R Sykes, A Ewington, R Watkins) UCC 0; Rathgar 0 Cookstown 4 (own goal, R Miller, G Allen, M Crooks); Raphoe 1 Fingal 3 (S Dempsey, J McKeever, L Hayden); UCD 3 (R Canning 2, N Burns) Instonians 2 (P Gleghorne, J Corry); Annadale 3 (C Morrow, M Robson, R Kerrigan) Kilkeel 5 (E Agnew 2, M Stevenson, D Glenny, G Niblock)
Second round: Mossley vs Corinthian; Fingal vs NICS; Glenanne vs Kilkeel; Portadown vs Monkstown; Cork C of I vs Banbridge; Lisnagarvey vs UCD; Belfast Harlequins vs Three Rock Rovers; Cookstown vs Pembroke
Munster Div 1: Cork C of I 7 (P Sweetnam 2, J Jermyn, S Sweetnam 2, S Wolfe 2) Cork C of I B 1 (C Buttimer); Cork Harlequins 0 Bandon 1 (D Smith)