Cork sides rain on Institute’s parade

Women’s Munster Senior Cup final

Catholic Institute 1 (K Daly) Cork Harlequins 3 (K Bateman, R McSharry, J Bourke)

There was no fairytale ending for Catholic Institute’s Eimear Cregan as her former club Cork Harlequins gave a lesson in finishing to reclaim the women’s Munster Senior Cup at Rosbrien yesterday.

Institute's Eimear Cregan gets in a tangle with Quins' Cliodhna Sargent. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

Instead, it was a lesser-lauded player who moved in the opposite direction last summer, Jane Bourke, who had the decisive say for Quins, grabbing their insurance goal late on to wrest back a trophy they’d last won in 2007.

Cork C of I and UCC had taken the spoils in the intervening years, but Eddie Gash’s side were determined to keep up a winning habit by coming out on top in what was a repeat of the 2006 decider.

Ger O’Carroll’s Institute lacked the composure in the circle that Quins’ experience gave them, but there is little doubt that Cregan brings much to a young and exciting forward line of Naomi Carroll, Rebecca Barry and Katie Campbell that will continue to flourish in the future.

There was much to admire in Institute’s play, particularly in watching Ireland U16 midfield starlet Roisin Upton give little in the way of inches or respect to Rachael Kohler, 20 years her senior and the most decorated player in the Irish game.

But it was another old stager, Karen Bateman, who showed her class to give Quins the lead on 12 minutes, making the perfect angled run to get the deftest of touches on Jane Chapple’s shot, after the latter had robbed Christine O’Shea.

Quins were getting plenty of change out of a near-full press, and they doubled their advantage on 23 minutes.

Rachel McSharry showing her renowned poacher’s instinct at corner time to bury a rebound after Cliodhna Sargent’s initial shot was saved. It was the kind of goal McSharry has scored many times before and will do so again in the future, as she is usually the quickest to such rebounds.

The running of Institute’s forward quartet – and Kym Daly’s surges from midfield – nonetheless continued to pose problems for Quins; Cregan’s superb stickwork and Barry’s ability to dribble accurately with the ball in the air proved particularly difficult to defend against.

Quins captain Cliodhna Sargent receives the trophy from her mother, Munster Branch president Pat Sargent. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

But Sargent – who had the unusual pleasure of receiving the trophy from her mother, Munster Branch president Pat – gave a masterful performance in defence alongside young left-back Antonia McGrath, whose calmness belied her years.

All too often the final ball was lacking as the hosts strived to get back in the contest on the scoreboard, and it was Quins’ Hilary Chapple who went closest to scoring, crashing against the upright when a corner move arrived back to her in the push-out spot.

Institute had hoped for a victory today to mark their centenary year in style on home turf, but those dreams died for good when Bourke touched McSharry’s switched slap over grounded netminder Ciara Ronan with two minutes to go.

The hosts did net a quickfire consolation – Daly executing a neat one-two with Barry to slot under Amy O’Neill after Quins had failed to deal with an aerial – and that will at least give them hope as they head into another decider this weekend, the Irish Trophy final against Greenfields.

CATHOLIC INSTITUTE: C Ronan (GK); C O’Shea, S Mannion, E Bromell, C Hutchinson, K Cantrell, E Higgins, A Kenny, A English (capt), K Daly, R Pratt, K Campbell, R Upton, E Cregan, N Carroll, R Barry.

CORK HARLEQUINS: A O’Neill (GK); C Sargent (capt), Y O’Byrne, H Chapple, K Bateman, R Kohler, R McSharry, J Bourke, A Taylor, E O’Leary, A McGrath, L Mullins, S McCarthy, L-A Daunt, J Chapple, C O’Connor.

Umpires: J Beamish and Z Howe

Men’s Munster Senior Cup final

Catholic Institute 3 (S Brickenden, B Downes, G Creamer) Cork C of I 7 (J Jermyn 4, N Burns, P Catchpole, S O’Grady)

A disastrous eight-minute spell which saw them concede five times proved the undoing of Catholic Institute’s hopes of claiming a shock Munster Senior Cup final victory at Rosbrien yesterday, losing 7-3 to Cork C of I.

C of I's Ben Dobson collides with Institute goalkeeper Tristan Murphy. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

The Limerick club were hoping for a repeat of their last victory in this tournament, which came in 1985 on the grass at Garryduff over the same opposition.

But despite ably staying the pace for the first half, and going in just 2-1 down at the break, Ollie O’Connor’s side needlessly gave C of I the short corner chances they required to wrap up a deserved victory.

C of I hit the front on 11 minutes, Stuart O’Grady rounding Institute keeper and skipper Tristan Murphy – who went on to give a superb performance between the sticks – before tapping home on his reverse.

But Institute gave the home crowd plenty to cheer about four minutes later. Their claims for a penalty stroke were turned down despite Justin O’Sullivan was felled in the circle, but from the resultant short corner, Simon Brickenden rattled home a low-drag-flick.

A bit of John Jermyn magic restored C of I’s lead on 27 minutes, the Irish international centurion blasting home an unstoppable reverse from the left as Andrew Herbert’s trickery and movement once again created the opening.

It stayed that way until the 46th minute, when Jermyn dragged low for 3-1, a strike that sparked a crazy eight minute period where Institute went to pieces at the back.

Peter Catchpole thumped home a rebound, before two stupid corner concessions – for pushes on players out near the sidelines – saw Jermyn and Nick Burns do the necessary with their flicks.

Institute's Ivan Moore jab-tackles C of I's John Jermyn. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

Jermyn’s fourth, and his team’s seventh, arrived on 54 minutes, finding the bottom corner after Burns’ searching run down the left.

But to their credit, Institute shored things up at the back, with Ivan Moore having an outstanding final quarter.

And when the visitors’ skipper Phil Smith saw yellow for verbals – a decision given by 18-year-old umpire Malcolm Coombes, who adroitly handled his first major final at this level – Institute took it as an invitation to go down fighting.

Albert Valls neatly chipped C of I keeper Billy Lynch, only to see Nigel Buttimer come from nowhere to execute a diving clearance off the line.

But they were eventually rewarded with four minutes to go with the goal of the game. Dara Crowe – the sole survivor from the 1985 cup-winning side – unleashed a bullet cross from the right, which Brian Downes did superbly to deflect home on his reverse.

And with the final hooter going just as Institute won a corner, they pushed everyone up and earned a further consolation when the ball was switched right for Gareth Creamer to sweep in.

C of I pose with the trophy. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

CATHOLIC INSTITUTE: T Murphy (GK, capt); R Fitzgerald, G Atchinson, I Moore, S Brickenden, E Gleeson, G Creamer, J O’Sullivan, E Calendar, D Ahern, D Crowe, K Fleming, T Pratt, A Valls, M Ryan, D Murphy (GK).

CORK C OF I: B Lynch (GK); A Herbert, P Smith (capt), D Harvey, N Buttimer, J Jermyn, A Moffett, S O’Grady, P Catchpole, A O’Callaghan, N Burns, K Lynch, B Dobson.

Umpires: A Treacy and M Coombes

For more of Eoin Tyrrell’s pictures from these games, click here – more to be added tomorrow.