Students soar into maiden decider

University College Cork will contest their first ever national senior final after coming from behind to see off Clontarf 2-1 in a fraught Irish Hockey Trophy semi-final at the Mardyke on Saturday. Plenty of controversy surrounded the endgame of this encounter, with Clontarf fuming after the final whistle, which the Dublin side believed came far, far too late. Both sides were chasing a winning goal in an injury time which stretched to well over 10 minutes, and it came College’s way, Roger Gray dragging home to the bottom right corner with 90 seconds to go. College still had to survive a corner at the other end which came right on the final whistle, with ‘Tarf failing to get a clean shot away to spark an outpouring of relief more than anything else from the students. UCC will claim they deserved the victory on balance as the team most dominant in possession, but it was the visitors who had the better chances. That seemed an unlikely scenario in the opening stanzas as College dominated, but came away empty-handed from six corners. Three duffed push-outs didn’t help, while Stephen Cairns repelled both Andy and Roger Gray. And it was ‘Tarf who snuck in front against the run of play around the 20 minutes mark, Gareth Borland using an improvised drag-flick technique to run the ball hard along the floor to the bottom corner. College didn’t take long to get back on level pegging though, Andy Gray picking out Fionn O’Leary at the back post with a peach of a pass, and the Munster U21 dangerman controlled well before flicking home across Cairns. The chances dried up thereafter, with ‘Tarf managing to keep O’Leary, Peter Catchpole and Roger Gray quiet while man of the match Graham Catchpole shook off the effects of illness to put in a destructive tackling performance in centre midfield. College had a number of second-half let-offs, however, with Andrew Poynter — a non-travelling reserve in the Irish cricket World Cup squad — twice rounding keeper Kieran Healy after capitalising on defensive errors, but failing to convert from tight angles, while Cain Cooney saw his deflected corner goal chalked off for a foot in the build-up. The hosts finally got a set-piece right late on however, and held out for a memorable victory. They’ll play South Antrim – 2-1 winners over Belfast Harlequins – in the April 3 decider at Belfield. Meanwhile, late goals at Serpentine Avenue and Havelock Park provided massive twists of fortune for Pembroke and Banbridge as they took the men’s IHL semi-final berths from Pool B on an incredible afternoon’s action. Patrick Good’s goal five minutes from time kept Pembroke’s dream of a third successive title alive as they snatched a last-gasp win over Monkstown. Maurice Elliott handed the hosts an early lead from close range as the Town struggled out of the blocks. Cup hero Andy Ewington roofed his side’s second corner to level the game – his first excellently saved by Simon Thornton’s diving stick save before the fun and games began. It was a game with plenty of controversy as Elliott thought he had a second goal only to be denied by technical bench who informed the umpires that they had attempted to blow the hooter to the end of the quarter prior to the ball hitting the backboard. The on-pitch clock was stopped at 17.43 minutes, 13 seconds shy of the quarter-time interval, to add to the conclusion as the hooter malfunctioned and was not heard by the players and umpires. Stephen Cole subsequently had a goal awarded but ruled out on consultation and it remained at 1-1, despite plenty of chances at both ends, until deep into the fourth quarter. With time running out and elimination on the cards, Keith Crawford’s knee-high cross caused havoc. Good took it down and while his first effort was blocked by David Fitzgerald, leaving both on the floor, his second bite saw him scoop the ball into the goal. Monkstown protested it had hit his body in the build-up but they were waved away and Pembroke were through. Banbridge left their progression even later as Simon Magowan’s reverse inside the last minute against YMCA earned a second semi-final in three years – edging out the Town on goal difference. Their game was poised on a knife-edge at 3-2 in the closing stages with next goal the big winner. Bann began the game missing a number of key men, Stephen Dowds added to their injury list in mid-week, and they fell behind from YM’s first attack in earnest when Marcus Richardson finished well mid-circle for the only goal of the quarter. But the hosts got a stroke of luck to get back on terms in the 22nd minute when a Bruce McCandless pull-back took a YM stick and bounced over their goal-line. And the Irish international again did the damage seven minutes into the second half to give his side the lead for the first time when he dived full-length to deflect in brother Scott’s right-wing cross. Josh Moffett’s goal three minutes later put them into the playoff places when he guided home a corner variation and, following a flurry of cards, YM were hanging on to their IHL life at the end of the third quarter. Hope grew with a David Robinson corner finding the net but, pushing forward for a draw which would have secured a semi-final place, they were caught on the counter. The lively Moffett found Magowan in the circle and his reverse beat Iain Walker with a crisply struck reverse to send the home support into raptures. In the other game in the pool, David Eakins’ drag-flick treble earned Cork Harlequins a 4-1 win over visiting Instonians, with Darren Farrell roofing a deflection off Jason Black’s crash for the other goal. Pool A proved a slightly more straightforward affair as Glenanne and Lisnagarvey picked off 4-1 wins over Cookstown and potential qualifiers Corinthian, respectively. The Glens needed to come from behind to progress, former international Andy Barbour putting Cookstown one up from a mis-pushed corner. Ian Sloan was impressive in this first half despite a flurry of Glenanne chances but the Tallaght side were re-energised after the interval with Filip Jaros, Gary Shaw and Shane O’Donnoghue all registering goals. Lisnagarvey, meanwhile, ended Corinthian’s run with a 4-1 win, Greg Thompson and Andy Forrest bagging doubles. ’Garvey will play Pembroke in the semi-finals, pitting Cork brothers Jason and Karl Lynch against each other in a repeat of last year’s final, while Glenanne play Banbridge – another match with pedigree following their dust-up in the 2009 semi-final. Annadale got their first win of the campaign, beating Cork C of I 6-3 in Garryduff in the day’s other game as the hosts again worryingly conceded a flurry of goals, hardly ideal preparation for Saturday’s Munster Senior Cup final against Bandon. John Jermyn’s high flick put them on the front foot, but Neil Hamilton equalised from the ‘Dale’s first set-piece on six minutes. Andy Williamson then struck a peach against the run of play, evading four tackles and roofing his shot, but C of I were level against when Philip Sweetnam rebounded home from a corner. David Hobbs thought he’d put his side in front but his reverse-stick strike was beaten to the net by the sound of the half-time hooter, but they got a go-ahead goal when Stephen Sweetnam’s cross was directed past his own keeper by Annadale’s Gareth Kidd. But amazingly, the Belfast side went on to score four goals in a 14-minute period, including two more Hamilton flicks and efforts from play by Richard Maybin and Daniel Nicholl. That leaves C of I with the pool’s wooden spoon and plenty to work on as their attentions turn back to Munster fare. Bandon, for their part,were boosted by a goalscoring return to first-team action by Melvin Beamish, who netted twice in a 5-2 win at Catholic Institute that ensures their place in the IHL wildcard playoff and condemns Institute to propping up the table. Beamish, who has not played much hockey in the past three seasons, marked his return in some style on 10 minutes. His initial cross came back to him in off Institute netminder Tristan Murphy, but he controlled with a single mid-air touch before hammering home off the far post from a near-impossible angle. Institute equalised when Brian Downes’ short corner effort was diverted in off a Bandon stick after initially being saved by Ian Hosford, but Beamish and David Smith squeezed home some scrappy efforts for a 3-1 half-time lead. Ricky Roycroft then bashed home from the top of the D when given too much space, but Downes kept Institute in touch with a neat strike off a counter-attack. However, Ali Smith made things safe from the penalty spot for Bandon. Thanks to The Hook’s Stephen Findlater for words from IHL games Irish Hockey League Rd 5 Pool A Glenanne 4 (S O’Donoghue 2, F Jaros, G Shaw) Cookstown 1 (A Barbour); Lisnagarvey 4 (A Forrest 2, G Thompson 2) Corinthian 1 (C Pelow); Cork C of I 3 (J Jermyn, P Sweetnam, G Kidd og) Annadale 6 (N Hamilton 3, D Nicol, A Williamson, R Maybin); Standings: 1. Glenanne 16pts (+10) 2. Lisnagarvey 16pts (+10) 3. Corinthian 13pts (+5) 4. Annadale 6pts (-8) 5. Cookstown 4pts (-7) 6. Cork C of I 3pts (-12); Pool B Banbridge 4 (B McCandless 2, J Moffett, S Magowan) YMCA 2 (M Richardson); Pembroke Wanderers 2 (M Elliott, P Good) Monkstown 1 (A Ewington); Cork Harlequins 4 (D Eakins 3, D Farrell) Instonians 1 (C Kirk); Standings: 1 Pembroke 13pts (+3) 2 Banbridge 12pts (+5) 3 Monkstown 12pts (+4) 4 YMCA 11pts (+3) 5 Cork Harlequins 6 pts (-5) 6 Instonians 2pts (-10). Irish Trophy semi-finals UCC 2 (F O’Leary, R Gray) Clontarf 1 (G Borland); South Antrim 2 (R O’Neill, H Cartmill) Belfast Harlequins 1 (J Quigley); Irish Junior Cup semi-final: Lisnagarvey 8 Three Rock Rovers 0. Munster Div 1 Catholic Institute 2 (B Downes 2) Bandon 5 (M Beamish 2, R Roycroft, D Smith, A Smith);