C of I quick to dash Institute’s hopes of glory

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.

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 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 once again created the opening.

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

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.

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

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.

First, 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 unleashing a bullet cross that 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.

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