Munster misery as five teams go under

A BLEAK weekend for Munster hockey saw all five of its representatives soundly beaten during the opening round of the Irish Hockey League.

Cork Church of Ireland saw their former midfielder Jason Lynch guide Lisnagarvey to a 3-1 Pool A win at Garryduff, outshining his more experienced Irish international colleagues David Hobbs and John Jermyn.

Timmy Cockram’s drag-flick was the only goal in the first half, before Lynch’s brilliant reverse-stick cross found Daniel Buser on the far post for 2-0.

Jermyn pinged a sizzling drag-flick in off the underside of the bar to give C of I hope, but Cockram’s penalty stroke secured victory.

Cookstown and Annadale drew 1-1 in a game featuring seven yellow cards and reds and a probable one-game suspensions for the formers Godfrey Irwin and the ‘Dale’s Peter Caruth.

Glenanne’s penchant for incredible comebacks continued, as they scored three times in the final six minutes to salvage a 4-4 draw with Corinthian.

Three goals in two minutes, inspired by new signing Brandon Panther, helped Pembroke Wanderers ease past Cork Harlequins 5-2 in Pool B as the Dubliners recorded the only bonus-point win in the men’s pool stages.

The South African scored one stunner and set up another, meaning late goals from Quins’ Dave Eakins and Phil McLaughlin were immaterial.

On a good day for the Cork C of I diaspora, Karl Lynch also scored for Pembroke against old rivals Quins while Jonny Bruton hit the decisive strike in YMCA’s 2-1 defeat of Monkstown. Instonians and Banbridge produced a 2-2 stalemate.

Railway Union were the big winners in the women’s competition, thumping Cork Harlequins 7-2 at Park Avenue as Kate Dillon and Nikki Evans collected doubles.

Armagh also claimed a bonus point in their 4-1 defeat of Ards – in which former Irish Examiner Junior Sports Star Amy Stewart scored after returning from a year-long injury absence – while Chloe Watkins was again UCD’s saviour, netting the winner in a 2-1 win over Ballymoney.

In Pool A, two former College girls came back to haunt UCC, as Audrey O’Flynn and Aíne Connery both scored for Hermes in a 3-0 win over their former team-mates.

Pegasus had too much in the tank for Catholic Institute, winning 5-2 as new girls Vanessa Surgeoner and Steph Quinn helped shake off initial resistance from Institute, as Rebecca Barry and Eimear Cregan had them just 3-2 down going into the final quarter. Nicci Daly’s double helped Loreto pick up a notable 2-1 win at Belfast Harlequins.

Ali Smith’s scrappy strike inside the final 30 seconds helped Bandon claim a 1-1 draw at UCC – for whom man of the match Andy Gray had struck a fine corner goal – which means it’s advantage to the west Cork men in the battle for third place.