Quins rise but College fall

With seven of the eight ties decided by a single-strike margin, it was a day of incredibly tight affairs in a gripping second round of the women’s ESB Irish Senior Cup.

The net result for Munster is that the province’s representation has been halves, with Cork Harlequins the last to fly the flag for the three kings after UCC fell to a disappointing 2-1 defeat at Ards. They must now prove their mettle on the road, as they head to Dublin for a quarter-final meeting with holders UCD.

Quins’ preparations for their tie with Old Alex were thrown into disarray as Harlequin Park flooded, rending it unplayable. With The Mardyke unavailable, the tie was moved to Garryduff, nullifying Quins’ usual advantage on sand.

Thankfully for Eddie Gash’s side, their opponents weren’t up to much. Roisin Flinn was a constant threat up front, but Alex’s inability to provide quality out play from the back drew Quins onto them.

Hermes' Aine Connery duels with Railway's Emma Smyth. Picture: Deryck Vincent

Nonetheless, it was the visitors who took the lead against the run of play on the 10 minute mark, Lucy Cotter providing a fine diving finish to a super cross from the left from Flinn.

But Cliodhna Sargent’s corner rocket levelled things up at the other end, her hit down the middle outfoxing the diving Pamela Smithwick, before Karen Bateman provided the coup de grace in the second half, a stunning first-time effort after she was fed by Sinead McCarthy following a corner breakdown.

There was less to smile about for UCC though, who fell at the first hurdle in this competition for the third season running with a 2-1 defeat. Quickfire first-half strikes from Katy Fraser gave the hosts a two-goal buffer, but College dominated from the 30th minute onwards.

Julia O’Halloran pulled one back when she neatly finished off a one-on-one, and College felt they were denied a legitimate penalty stroke when an Audrey O’Flynn drag-flick was blocked by a foot on the line, only for another short to be given.

The glamour tie of the round at St Andrew’s didn’t fail to live up to the hype, with Railway Union’s Emma Smyth producing another of her trademark wondergoals to secure a 2-1 win over Hermes.

Jenny Burke’s super individual strike had the hosts ahead, but a disputed Cecilia Joyce equaliser followed by a stunning chipped winner from Smyth gave Mick McKinnon’s side the spoils.

IHL holders Loreto required a golden goal to see off the challenge of Ulster league leaders Armagh, coming when Niamh Small finished off a length-of-the-field passing move, after Jackie Orr had cancelled out Ali Meeke’s neat opener.

UCD also needed extra-time to see off Bray, with Kerry McComish hitting the only goal of the game, while Shona Doyle and Hilda Maguire helped Pembroke to a 2-1 win over Glenanne. Pegasus were the only side to cross the line with any semblence of comfort, four players sharing the goals in a 4-2 defeat of Randalstown.

Just one Munster side, Ashton, were competing in the Irish Trophy, but they came away from Avoca with a superb 4-0 win in their pockets. Keeper Vanessa Sargent had to thwart a one-on-one early on, but the hosts rarely threatened thereafter, with Caroline McCarthy’s double, a Cliodhna Murphy effort and a Ciara O’Herlihy short corner strike doing the damage.

Meanwhile, the draw for the first round of the men’s Irish Senior Cup – which gets underway in the new year – has thrown up three intriguing Munster-Leinster battles.

Cork Harlequins’ visit to YMCA looks the pick of the bunch, while Bandon will relish the tag of underdogs when they go to Grange Road to take on a Three Rock Rovers side that have looked a shadow of their former selves this term. The tie will also mean something of a reunion for Rovers’ Patrick Shanahan, who was a Bandon man before his studies took him to the capital.

C of I have been given the comfort of a home tie with Clontarf, who have shown they can score at the top level in Leinster this term following promotion from Division Two, but have picked up just a single point from seven outings thus far.

ESB Irish Senior Cup quarter-finals (November 28): Loreto vs Pembroke Wanderers; UCD vs Cork Harlequins; Ballymoney vs Pegasus; Ards vs Railway Union

Men’s Irish Senior Cup Round One (January 16): YMCA vs Cork Harlequins; TRR vs Bandon; Pembroke vs Bangor; UCD vs Monkstown; Railway Union vs Corinthian; Cork C of I vs Clontarf; Banbridge vs North Down
Byes to Round Two: Glenanne, Fingal, Annadale, Instonians, Lisnagarvey, Kilkeel, Mossley, Cookstown, Raphoe