Sargent drills home winner as Quins stun Ards
Cliodhna Sargent’s strike proved the difference as Quins overturned a 3-0 Irish Hockey League reverse against the Ulster high-flyers.
With Loreto’s trip to Pegasus called off due to the frost, Old Alex’s battle with Pembroke in Milltown took the mantle of Leinster highlight as Erika Hinkson struck twice in the first half to see them home.
Sarah Clarke smashed home a corner strike a minute before the break to set up a testing second half, but an equaliser was not forthcoming in the second period with Alex again set to enjoy home comforts in the quarter-finals where they’ll play Ballymoney.
Goals from Nikki Parke and youth international Katie Mullan ousted the visiting Catholic Institute 2-1 leaving Munster down to just one representative in the last eight.
Rachel Burke’s double plundered victory from Belfast Harlequins for UCD, in a tie switched from Deramore Park to Grosvenor due to an icy playing surface, again 2-1 the winning scoreline.
The Belfield students now play Cork Harlequins in the last eight.
Hermes had little trouble dispatching Corinthian 8-0, Audrey O’Flynn scoring on her return from an ankle injury to set up a tie with either the Ulster Elks or Armagh, their game postponed due to the frost. Glenanne bowed out at the hands of Ulster leaders Lurgan.
Four women’s Irish Hockey Trophy ties survived the weather with Bandon’s 2-1 win at Ballymena — a clash moved to Larne due to the weather — the pick of the results. Former Quins star Hilary Chapple hit the target for the west Cork girls, with the winner coming from Sarah Gray’s perfectly-placed short corner effort, a first top-level goal for the ex-UCC defender since her return from two seasons on the sidelines with a knee injury.
They weren’t the only Bandon girls to hit the heights on the day, however; Síle Johnson rifled home a hat-trick to help her NUIG side to a 4-1 win at Waterford, while Hilary Skuse claimed Clontarf’s goal in a 1-1 draw with North Down, after which they progressed on penalties.
Navan fought back to grab a place in the second round of the men’s Irish Hockey Trophy as keeper Emmet Moore made the vital intervention at King’s Hospital, winning out 5-4 on penalty strokes against Armagh.
Rathgar Chiefs won their first national level fixture on golden goal, beating rivals Suttonians while an inspired Clontarf racked up a 6-1 success over division two table-toppers Avoca.
In the men’s Irish Junior Cup, Monkstown’s reign as champions is over as Stuart McQueen scored the only goal of the game in Hillsborough to hand Lisnagarvey passage into the quarter-finals.
Jody Hosking’s golden goal reverse broke the tie at Milltown as Three Rock beat YMCA 2-1, while Pembroke kept alive their hopes of repeating their 2008 success as they got the better of Railway Union in the Sandymount derby, 2-1, Craig Wilson and Scott Furlong on the mark.
Glenanne eased to a 5-0 success over Civil Service while Corinthian are still in the competition but have to negotiate an Annadale hurdle in round two after Saturday’s tie was frozen off. Bangor and Cork Harlequins were the other two sides to progress while Banbridge and Bandon also succumbed to the weather.
Cork Harlequins had little trouble dispatching North Down on a 6-1 scoreline, with Mark Lombard and Darren Farrell netting a brace apiece. Munster senior interior representative Farrell went on to hit the target again — with David Eakins netting three — in a routine 8-0 Munster Senior League win over Catholic Institute yesterday, which sends Quins three points clear of Cork C of I, who play Quins B tonight in their game in hand.
Bandon will be relieved not to have let UCC back into the hunt for an Irish Hockey League wildcard qualification spot — Ger Burns’ men ran out 5-4 winners over Cork C of I B.
