d’Alton is Quins’ golden boy in shock Inst win

Cork Harlequins pulled off the shock of the men’s Irish Senior Cup round one as Lee d’Alton’s golden goal gave them a stunning 3-2 win over Instonians at Shaw’s Bridge in Belfast today. Quins were cruising at 2-0 inside 19 minutes, with Mark Black blasting home a reverse from the edge of the circle before Eddie Dore roofed a strike three minutes later, before two neat Mark Gleghorne deflections levelled things up before the break. Inst, who have been resurgent in recent weeks with wins over Annadale and Pembroke Wanderers, would have been favourites to kick on from there. But normal time produced no more goals ,as both defences were well on top in a game that yielded just three corners. However, d’Alton popped up at the far post to touch home David Egner’s cross six minutes into the extra to give Quins’ season a serious shot in the arm, and will send them into next Saturdays do-or-die IHL tie with Annadale in confident mood. Cork Church of Ireland also advanced as they made the better of freezing conditions in Northern Ireland to win 6-2 at Antrim. Jonny Bruton, Alec Moffett and John Jermyn had given them a commanding 3-0 half-time lead, while Bruton’s second and further strikes from Peter Catchpole and Adam Pritchard proved enough to quell a mini-revival from the hosts. There was less good fortune for Bandon however, who will be frustrated that they missed a great chance to overturn Fingal, eventually going down to a Derek O’Gorman strike. Across town, Catholic Institute unfortunately failed to keep things respectable against the might of Glenanne as St Mark’s, losing 11-0 as John Goulding claimed a hat-trick and Stephen Butler, Paul Fitzpatrick and Shane O’Donoghue all posted doubles. The best action of the day was predictably to be found at Rathdown, where Cookstown went two goals down to Monkstown inside ten minutes but recovered to win 4-3. Having rocketed home spectacular strikes through Gareth Watkins and Franny Lee, Monkstown gifted Cookstown two simple opportunities, both tidily put away by David Ames to level it up. Another defensive howler allowed Andy Barbour to put the Ulster champions in front, and he turned provider for David Best, before Filip Jaros plundered a late consolation. The hosts will be still kicking themselves that they didn’t take advantage while Cookstown’s Gareth Cuddy spent 12 minutes in the sin-bin.

Elsewhere, Pembroke had little trouble disposing of YMCA on a 5-1 scoreline, while things were even easier for Three Rock Rovers, for whom Peter Blakeney hit five in their 9-1 rout of Kilkenny. UCD went down 1-0 at home to Bangor to compound a miserable week for Leinster’s basement side, while Raphoe’s clash with Banbridge fell victim to the weather. In the only men’s game in the Munster Division One, UCC will be left kicking themselves as they missed a golden opportunity to defeat C of I B. Shorn a number of regulars due to their firsts’ trip north, C of I B fielded 15-year-old James Phillips in goal, and he turned in a sterling performance to keep College at bay. At the other end, Kieran Healy did brillantly to save one penalty stroke but couldn’t get to another, with Richie Dorman firing home from the spot for the only goal of the game.