Magowan double helps Bann scupper Quins’ cup hopes

Cork Harlequins’ finishing jinx struck once again as they exited the Irish Senior Cup with a 2-1 defeat to Banbridge in a highly-charged tie at Harlequin Park this afternoon. A mixture of awful luck and profligate finishing has cost Quins a number of times this season, and again proved their undoing today. Goals in each half from Simon Magowan settled this tie, with Dan Hobbs replying from a corner late on. Magowan’s first, coming on seven minutes, was a beaut; Eugene Magee looked to be running out of pitch as he headed for the corner flag, but he fizzed in a perfect cross and Magowan’s outstretched stick guided the ball into the top corner on his reverse.

Quins keeper Chris Daunt had no chance with that, but he did well to foil Stephen Dowds minutes later after the underage international hitman had burned John Hobbs. Aside from a Paul Lombard reverse which produced a smart save from Gareth Lennox, Bann had the majority of the first-half chances. Daunt did well to twice deny Magee, while Jason Black got a great block on Ross McCandless as Bann forced four consecutive corners. But the second half was almost all Quins, with Mark Black – returning after a month on the sidelines with a knee injury – spraying 50-yard passes that released his wingers with unerring accuracy. David Egner will still be wondering how he didn’t help Quins reduce the arrears, however. First, he beat Lennox after receiving the ball with his back to goal but watched his effort crawl agonisingly wide, before seeing Eddie Dore fail to connect with his pinpoint ball across goal. Minutes later, Egner got a great touch on Sean Nicholson’s crash ball, only to see it veer inches past the post. Bann had lived off their wits for most of the third quarter – albeit with some superb defending from Bruce McCandless in particular – but made Quins pay with their first noteworthy attack of the half on 51 minutes. Dermy Reay was released around the Quins defence and got to the endline, finding Magowan on the penalty spot, and he had plenty of time to place the ball past Daunt into the bottom corner. Dan Hobbs dragged Quins back into it – literally – by finding a way past Lennox from a short corner on 61 minutes, and Quins readied themselves for an onslaught as they went in search of an equaliser. Their cause was aided when Geoff McCabe was sent to the sideline for thrusting an arm into John Hobbs’ neck, but Lennox continued to deny them producing a great reaction save when Egner attempted to lob him after he had slid in to deny Paul Lombard. Dan Hobbs had a corner to force extra-time, but he was blocked down, and Bann had the chance to augment their lead after the whistle – pushing all 10 outfielders up for a corner – only for Daunt to deny McCandless the icing on the cake. Bann now travel to Cookstown in the last eight, but the other three quarter-final ties were all completed today. The most notable of those came at Grange Road, where Glenanne came from behind three times in a thrilling tie with Three Rock Rovers before advancing on penalty strokes, after the sides finished deadlocked at 4-4 at the end of extra-time. Paul Fitzpatrick gave Glens an early boon, only for strikes from Mitch Darling and Peter Blakeney to thrust Rovers back into the lead. John Keogh hauled Glens level, only for Blakeney to profit from an Ali Haughton surge to swing the pendulum back towards Rovers, but Stephen Butler’s pinpoint drag-flick left it at three apiece at the break. Cork native Patrick Shanahan’s rebound off Lucas Piccioli’s reverse gave the home side the lead for a third time, but Butler restored parity from the penalty spot to send the game into extra-time. Following a flurry of sin-binnings, the tie went to strokes, with Butler, Joe Brennan and Graham Shaw all scoring as Rovers missed twice, leaving 16-year-old Shane O’Donoghue the chance to seal the win. His first effort was saved by Charlie Henderson but a retake was ordered – the keeper adjudged to have broken the line – and the youngster nervelessly flicked high into the right-corner. Elsewhere, Pembroke scored three in each half to down Mossley 6-0. Alan Giles, Gordon Elliott and Conor Harte had the ‘Broke cruising at the break, before Justin Sherriff made it four, while Harte added a second and Vaughan Erasmus got his first for the club.

Annadale successfully staved off any hopes of a Corinthian upset, with goals from Ian Hamilton, Paul Jackson and Fraser Mills helping them to a 3-1 win, with Davy Carson netting the visitors’ response. The draw for the semi-finals has ensured the decider will be an interprovincial affair. Pembroke will host Glens in another titanic Leinster clash, while while the winner of Cookstown’s clash with Bann will welcome Annadale. Domestically, Bandon advanced to a second cup final against Cork Harlequins, taking out UCC 2-0 at the Mardyke to give themselves a shot at lifting the Munster Senior Cup. The students were well below par, and went behind in acrimonious cricumstances, as Kieran Healy was harshly adjudged to have felled David Smith, who dusted himself down to score from the spot. Smith added a second later on, capitalising on a defensive mistake to give Bandon a shot at revenge for their 1-0 Peard Cup final defeat to Quins in December. In the men’s Irish Junior Cup, YMCA defeated Monkstown by the odd goal in three, while Ian Sloan hit four and Ian Cheevers three in a facile 7-0 win for Cookstown over Raphoe. Cork C of I, who have left Annadale and Quins in their rear-view mirror thus far, can also advance to the last four if they win at Glenanne on March 14. Irish Senior Cup semi-final draw: Pembroke Wanderers vs Glenanne; Cookstown/Banbridge vs Annadale.