Clinical Glens dent C of I’s league hopes

CORK C of I and Cork Harlequins all but kissed goodbye to any lingering hopes they might mount a challenge for a men’s Irish Hockey League semi-final spot, after suffering heavy defeats at home to Dublin opposition on Saturday.

Glenanne have become rather fond of raiding Garryduff, and did so again in clinical fashion, coming from behind to etch a 5-1 success into C of I’s psychological wounds that added to last year’s 4-1 win at the same venue.

John Jermyn’s diving deflection put C of I ahead, but Shane O’Donoghue’s volley set off a chain of five Glenanne goals in 16 minutes, the ex-Ireland U18 hitman adding a hat-trick of drag-flicks to complete a 100% corner conversion ratio, while Filip Jaros tapped in from play.

Glens are now back contention in Pool A, where they sit just a point behind Corinthian and Lisnagarvey.

Corinthian have been in poor form domestically but they continue to confound expectations in the IHL, defeating Cookstown 2-1 on home turf.

Greg Allen gave the Tyrone side the lead in the third quarter, but Jordan Sutton finished adroitly to haul the hosts level before Ben Murphy’s rocket won it with eight minutes to go.

Meanwhile, ‘Garvey’s second win of the pool stages arrived with a comprehensive 5-2 rout of Annadale at Hillsborough. Veteran Mark Raphael’s double was the catalyst as the hosts led from start to finish.

Avoiding the wooden spoon is now once again the target for Cork Harlequins, who capitulated 4-1 to YMCA.

David Eakins’ drag-flick had them one up after five minutes, but David Robinson’s corner brace and turnover goals from Phil Powderly and Jamie Tobin wrapped things up for YM.

Elsewhere in Pool B, a Gareth Watkins-inspired Monkstown recovered a 2-0 deficit to see off Banbridge 5-3 in a high-class thriller at Rathdown.

Pakistani debutant Imitaz Pannu gave Instonians a dream start against Pembroke Wanderers, but the Dubliners rallied with goals from Scott Furlong, Patrick Good, Michael O’Connor to keep their stranglehold on the pool.

UCC provided some cheer at national level for Munster hockey by advancing to the quarter-finals of the Irish Trophy with an excellent 3-1 away win at Donegal’s Raphoe.

Peter Catchpole’s early opener was cancelled out by Richard Patterson but an Andy Gray stroke and a trademark roofed reverse for Fionn O’Leary sent College through to a quarter-final showdown away to Rathgar Chiefs.

Meanwhile, Pegasus won the battle of the Pool A heavyweights to surge into a two-point lead at the summit via a 3-1 victory over Hermes. Irish U18 starlet Vanessa Surgeoner combined with former senior internationals Claire McMahon and Suzanne Beaney to nab the vital strikes.

Three last-quarter goals helped Loreto to a 4-1, bonus-point victory over UCC to move into second, after the students’ skipper Ali O’Regan had cancelled out Nikki Symmons’ opener.

Catholic Institute’s women picked up a bonus point in their first ever IHL win — a 3-0 success at Belfast Harlequins.

Eimear Cregan — playing her first game since her midweek retirement from international hockey — broke the deadlock in the first half before two late Elaine Bromell short corner bullets did the rest.

In Pool A, Cork Harlequins held Armagh to a 2-2 draw thanks to two fine Cliodhna Sargent efforts but they are still bottom of the table.

UCD’s 3-0 victory over Ards sees them lead the way here, after Railway Union slipped up in drawing 1-1 at Ballymoney.