Cork Church of Ireland’s men and Cork Harlequins’ women both got their Irish Hockey League campaigns back on track with vital wins on Saturday.
Having fallen 7-2 at Banbridge in round one, C of I needed a victory on the road against Corinthian and kept their noses in front in a high-octane affair to win 3-2.
Neil Young cancelled out Alex Burns’ opener for C of I but they went back ahead from the penalty spot, Andy Gray converting the stroke before Simon Wolfe gave them a two-goal cushion. Jordan Sutton got one back for the hosts but C of I held on to take the points.
Bann and Monkstown are the teams to beat in Pool B however, after big wins over UCD (4-1) and Annadale (6-0) respectively.
Cork Harlequins fell 8-2 away to Cookstown, Dan Hobbs netting both their goals, and will be glad to be on home turf for the first time next week. Visiting them will be a Lisnagarvey side doubtlessly fired up by a 1-0 home loss to Pembroke – a second defeat for Cork man Jason Lynch to his younger brother Karl in recent weeks.
Quins’ women notched a superb result, winning 2-0 at home to one of the country’s most in-form sides, Ards.
An own goal plus a strike from Rachel McSharry did the damage and they’ll approach this weekend’s trip to take on pool leaders Pegasus – 4-1 winners over Ballymoney – in Belfast with increasing confidence. There was further good news for Quins with rivals Loreto being held to a 1-1 draw by Old Alex.
Tournament favourites UCD took control of Pool A with a rampant 7-0 demolition of Catholic Institute at Rosbrien, backboned by Katie Mullan’s hat-trick, while Greenfields caused the shock of the tournament so far, notching the first ever win by a Connacht side as Mary Healy gave the Galwegians a 1-0 win at Lurgan.
Hermes’ title hopes were dealt another big blow as they fell to a second consecutive defeat, losing 2-1 at home to Railway Union, former UCC woman Aine Connery’s late goal not enough to inspire a last-gasp comeback.
Elsewhere Munster sides performed brilliantly to advance to the semi-finals of the Irish Trophy; Cork C of I’s ladies came from 2-1 down to beat Rathgar 3-2 in Dublin, Ali O’Regan setting Amy Roberts up for the equaliser before netting the winner herself.
Bandon’s men also had to dig deep to beat North Down 3-2, Munster U16 starlet Matthew Jennings scoring his first senior goal for the club to force extra-time before German playmaker Julius Haendel netted a silver-goal winner.
Men
Irish Hockey League
Pool A: Cookstown 8 (G Allen 3, A Barbour 2, M Crooks, G Cuddy, S Todd) Cork Harlequins 2 (D Hobbs 2); Instonians 1 (A Patterson) Three Rock Rovers 2 (J Bruton, J Brennan); Lisnagarvey 0 Pembroke 1 (A Sothern); Pool B: Corinthian 2 (J Sutton, N Young) Cork C of I 3 (A Gray, A Burns, S Wolfe); Monkstown 6 (P Caruth 2, R Sykes, A Ward, G Cole, D Carson) Annadale 0; Banbridge 4 (J Moffett, E Magee, J McKee, M Bell) UCD 1 (N Burns).
Irish Hockey Trophy quarter-finals: Bandon 3 (M Jennings, D Smith, J Haendel) North Down 2 (T Dornan 2); Kilkenny 2 Clontarf 5; Portadown 5 (J Hassin 2, R Bennett 2, S Johnson) Queen’s 3 (M McCague, J McCague, T Sturgeon); Newry 2 (D England 2) Avoca 1 (D Tait).
Cork Cup semi-finals: Limerick 2 UCC B 6; Cork C of I C 4 Catholic Institute 3 (aet).
Women
Irish Hockey League
Pool A: Lurgan 0 Greenfields 1 (M Healy); Catholic Institute 0 UCD 7 (K Mullan 3, G Pinder, C Hill, S Robinson, D Duke); Hermes 1 (A Connery) Railway Union 2 (E Lucey, K Dillon); Pool B: Cork Harlequins 2 (Rachel McSharry, own goal) Ards 0; Ballymoney 1 (J Moore) Pegasus 4 (V Surgeoner 2, R Chambers, S Quinn); Old Alex 1 (L Kingston) Loreto 1 (N Small)
Irish Hockey Trophy quarter-finals: Larne 2 (K McIlwaine, L Craig) NUIG 3 (L Thornton, F Timmins, D Hatton); Rathgar 2 Cork C of I 3 (A Roberts 2, A O’Regan); Ballymena vs North Down, North Down win 3-2 on strokes; Cookstown 4 (C Brown 2, K Scott, G Todd) Naas 1
Munster Div 1: Limerick 1 (L Shuker) Fermoy 0; Bandon 4 Limerick 0.
Div 5 Cup final: UCC 3 (L Dillon, C O’Sullivan, R Keegan) Cork C of I 1 (K Scannell) (aet); Div 6 Cup final: Ashton 2 Belvedere 1; Div 6 Plate final: UCC 1 Cork Harlequins 1 (aet, Harlequins win 2-1 on penalty strokes).
Elsewhere Munster sides performed brilliantly to advance to the semi-finals of the Irish Trophy; Cork C of I’s ladies came from 2-1 down to beat Rathgar 3-2 in Dublin, Ali O’Regan setting Amy Roberts up for the equaliser before netting the winner herself.
Bandon’s men also had to dig deep to beat North Down 3-2, Munster U16 starlet Matthew Jennings scoring his first senior goal for the club to force extra-time before German playmaker Julius Haendel netted a silver-goal winner.
Men
Irish Hockey League
Pool A: Cookstown 8 (G Allen 3, A Barbour 2, M Crooks, G Cuddy, S Todd) Cork Harlequins 2 (D Hobbs 2); Instonians 1 (A Patterson) Three Rock Rovers 2 (J Bruton, J Brennan); Lisnagarvey 0 Pembroke 1 (A Sothern); Pool B: Corinthian 2 (J Sutton, N Young) Cork C of I 3 (A Gray, A Burns, S Wolfe); Monkstown 6 (P Caruth 2, R Sykes, A Ward, G Cole, D Carson) Annadale 0; Banbridge 4 (J Moffett, E Magee, J McKee, M Bell) UCD 1 (N Burns).
Irish Hockey Trophy quarter-finals: Bandon 3 (M Jennings, D Smith, J Haendel) North Down 2 (T Dornan 2); Kilkenny 2 Clontarf 5; Portadown 5 (J Hassin 2, R Bennett 2, S Johnson) Queen’s 3 (M McCague, J McCague, T Sturgeon); Newry 2 (D England 2) Avoca 1 (D Tait).
Cork Cup semi-finals: Limerick 2 UCC B 6; Cork C of I C 4 Catholic Institute 3 (aet).
Women
Irish Hockey League
Pool A: Lurgan 0 Greenfields 1 (M Healy); Catholic Institute 0 UCD 7 (K Mullan 3, G Pinder, C Hill, S Robinson, D Duke); Hermes 1 (A Connery) Railway Union 2 (E Lucey, K Dillon); Pool B: Cork Harlequins 2 (Rachel McSharry, own goal) Ards 0; Ballymoney 1 (J Moore) Pegasus 4 (V Surgeoner 2, R Chambers, S Quinn); Old Alex 1 (L Kingston) Loreto 1 (N Small)
Irish Hockey Trophy quarter-finals: Larne 2 (K McIlwaine, L Craig) NUIG 3 (L Thornton, F Timmins, D Hatton); Rathgar 2 Cork C of I 3 (A Roberts 2, A O’Regan); Ballymena vs North Down, North Down win 3-2 on strokes; Cookstown 4 (C Brown 2, K Scott, G Todd) Naas 1
Munster Div 1: Limerick 1 (L Shuker) Fermoy 0; Bandon 4 Limerick 0.
Div 5 Cup final: UCC 3 (L Dillon, C O’Sullivan, R Keegan) Cork C of I 1 (K Scannell) (aet); Div 6 Cup final: Ashton 2 Belvedere 1; Div 6 Plate final: UCC 1 Cork Harlequins 1 (aet, Harlequins win 2-1 on penalty strokes).
Matthew Jennings scored the silver goal early in extra time. Julius got bandons first goal.