Cork Church of Ireland displayed all their fighting qualities to rescue a desperate situation and retain their Peard Cup crown in a stunning St Stephen’s Day encounter.
Unbackable favourites against a club they haven’t lost to since 1985, the hosts found themselves 3-1 down with six minutes to go as a shock looked on the cards.
But goals from Andrew Daunt and Nigel Buttimer drew them level and they survived a last-play penalty corner to force extra time. With no more goals forthcoming, they then prevailed on penalty strokes, netting all five of their efforts.
Such drama hardly looked likely after a forgettable first half, notable only for College still being in contention at 1-1. Stephen Sweetnam had been given too much room to roam and place a reverse-stick shot to the bottom corner to put C of I in front, but Andrew Scannell levelled when his harmless-looking drag-flick down the middle deceived goalkeeper Billy Lynch.
However, the game exploded into life early in the second period when UCC’s Shrew Power got a beautiful deft touch to redirect Adam O’Callaghan’s crashed sideline ball to the bottom corner.
With O’Callaghan, Scannell and David Doherty in imperious form at the back and Brian Corcoran saving everything that came at him, it looked set to be UCC’s day when they produced a memorable breakaway goal, Gary Wilkinson playing in Fionn O’Leary, who rifled a bouncing ball under Lynch while off-balance for 3-1.
C of I’s powerful short corner unit had malfunctioned throughout but it gave them a lifeline with six minutes remaining. The injection was mistrapped but John Jermyn’s lightning readjustment allowed him switch the ball to Andrew Daunt, who fired under Corcoran.
Nigel Buttimer then caught College napping with a quick free, before unleashing a rasper from the top of the circle to tie it up.
To strokes it eventually went, and the shootout’s key moment centred on O’Callaghan, a pity given the towering performance he had put in against his old club. He was forced to retake his penalty after going too early first time out; that effort was saved anyway, but he sent his second wide.
It was left to C of I’s Andrew Gray to finish the job against his old club. Just over a year ago he won an intervarsities for UCC in the same scenario – finally breaking a personal duck after nine attempts – and he made no mistake.
Elsewhere, Annadale caused a big shock by winning Ulster’s Kirk Cup, ousting Lisnagarvey on penalties after a 1-1 draw. In Leinster, Richie Shaw’s goal handed Glenanne their 10th Neville Cup title as they edged a profligate YMCA 1-0.
CORK C OF I: B Lynch (GK); R Lynch, A Gray, P Smith, N Buttimer; A Daunt, A Burns, R Sweetnam; A Moffett, S Sweetnam, S Parker.
Rolling subs: J Jermyn (capt), S Wolfe, P Sweetnam, P Daunt, J Phillips (GK).
UCC: B Corcoran (GK); W Brownlow, A O’Callaghan, A Scannell, J Catchpole; P Catchpole (capt), A Colton, S O’Grady; F O’Leary, A Power, G Wilkinson.
Rolling subs: G Chambers, J Sweetnam, S Thompson, D Doherty.
Umpires: B Attridge & P Murphy.
Such drama hardly looked likely after a forgettable first half, notable only for College still being in contention at 1-1. Stephen Sweetnam had been given too much room to roam and place a reverse-stick shot to the bottom corner to put C of I in front, but Andrew Scannell levelled when his harmless-looking drag-flick down the middle deceived goalkeeper Billy Lynch.
However, the game exploded into life early in the second period when UCC’s Shrew Power got a beautiful deft touch to redirect Adam O’Callaghan’s crashed sideline ball to the bottom corner.
With O’Callaghan, Scannell and David Doherty in imperious form at the back and Brian Corcoran saving everything that came at him, it looked set to be UCC’s day when they produced a memorable breakaway goal, Gary Wilkinson playing in Fionn O’Leary, who rifled a bouncing ball under Lynch while off-balance for 3-1.
C of I’s powerful short corner unit had malfunctioned throughout but it gave them a lifeline with six minutes remaining. The injection was mistrapped but John Jermyn’s lightning readjustment allowed him switch the ball to Andrew Daunt, who fired under Corcoran.
Nigel Buttimer then caught College napping with a quick free, before unleashing a rasper from the top of the circle to tie it up.
To strokes it eventually went, and the shootout’s key moment centred on O’Callaghan, a pity given the towering performance he had put in against his old club. He was forced to retake his penalty after going too early first time out; that effort was saved anyway, but he sent his second wide.
It was left to C of I’s Andrew Gray to finish the job against his old club. Just over a year ago he won an intervarsities for UCC in the same scenario – finally breaking a personal duck after nine attempts – and he made no mistake.
Elsewhere, Annadale caused a big shock by winning Ulster’s Kirk Cup, ousting Lisnagarvey on penalties after a 1-1 draw. In Leinster, Richie Shaw’s goal handed Glenanne their 10th Neville Cup title as they edged a profligate YMCA 1-0.
CORK C OF I: B Lynch (GK); R Lynch, A Gray, P Smith, N Buttimer; A Daunt, A Burns, R Sweetnam; A Moffett, S Sweetnam, S Parker.
Rolling subs: J Jermyn (capt), S Wolfe, P Sweetnam, P Daunt, J Phillips (GK).
UCC: B Corcoran (GK); W Brownlow, A O’Callaghan, A Scannell, J Catchpole; P Catchpole (capt), A Colton, S O’Grady; F O’Leary, A Power, G Wilkinson.
Rolling subs: G Chambers, J Sweetnam, S Thompson, D Doherty.
Umpires: B Attridge & P Murphy.
Great match on Stephens Day – well done to both teams – unlucky UCC !
One small correction, it was a one hundred year duck that UCC were trying to overcome, not a 28 year one.
The last time UCC MHC 1sts beat C of I 1sts was in 1913 (not 1985) !
Queens College (UCC) were founded in 1894 whilst ICICYMA (Church of Ireland) were not founded until 1911. There are references to UCC beating C of I 2-1 in a Cup Final of 1913 and they probably also beat them in the league that year. UCC ceased playing in 1914 on the outbreak of World War I and did not reappear until 1972. They have not beaten C of I in modern times (though they got a draw in 2004).
So, UCC the one hundred year challenge is yours !
References:
[1] Noel McLean’s History of ICICYMA Hockey Club 1911-1976
[2] UCC MHC website under Archives 1996-1997 [ http://www.ucc.ie/mhc/?page_id=101 ]
[3] Photo of the 1985-6 CofI team in the Garryduff Bar [check the silverware !]