Ashton power on but Bandon fall just short in final hunt

BANDON’S gut-wrenching loss to Three Rock Ladies was the only bit of bad news on a productive day for Munster women’s hockey in Irish competitions.

Ashton will keep the flag flying for the province after dispatching North Kildare to reach the semi-finals of the Irish Trophy, while there’ll be an all-Munster final of the Irish Challenge between Limerick and Dungarvan.

Three unanswered second-half goals from Caroline McCarthy, Karen Stokes and Ciara O’Herlihy did the trick for Ashton on home turf against a game North Kildare outfit, who pushed the hosts all the way before eventually succumbing 4-1.

Mary Claire Cummins had earlier cancelled out Michelle Spillane’s opener for the visitors.

Elsewhere, Bandon withdrew goalkeeper Claire Hayes in favour of an 11th outfielder as they chased an equaliser at Grange Road, but eventually went down 3-2.

Vicky Burns blindsided the Three Rock goalkeeper to cancel out Claire Fiztpatrick’s opener, but Grace O’Malley and Brigid Charmant put the hosts two goals to the good which meant Amy Hosford’s late strike wasn’t enough for John Dennis’ side.

Ashton and Three Rock will be joined by Lisnagarvey and Portadown in today’s semi-final draw.

Meanwhile, Limerick stunned holders YMCA 3-0 at Villiers to advance to the Irish Challenge decider where they will meet Dungarvan in an all-Munster decider.

Jenni Lyttle’s hat-trick helped the Treaty city girls ruin YM’s three-in-a-row dreams, while Dungarvan shocked Clonmel in the other semi-final thanks to Aoife McGovern’s golden goal.

Elsewhere, the Munster women’s title is Catholic Institute’s to lose after they prevailed against UCC by a one-goal margin for the third time in a month, this time via a 2-1 success at Rosbrien.

Ger O’Carroll’s side now have an 11-point lead but are not mathematically safe just yet, and given they are not in league action again for at a month, their predictable coronation will have to wait.

Should they take a minimum of a draw from their final three games, home and away to Belvedere and away to Cork Harlequins, they will depose the latter as champions for the first time in 15 years.

Katie Campbell popped up at the back post to finish off a fine team goal, before an Olivia Roycroft drag-flick hauled UCC level. However, a twice-switched short corner routine saw Christine O’Shea bury the winner with 13 minutes left.

The focus for the students now is to ensure second place and automatic Irish Hockey League qualification, which will almost certainly come down to their April 2 meeting with Cork Harlequins on home turf.

Quins, who have a game in hand, closed the gap on College to three points with a straightforward 6-0 victory away to UL.

Johanna Hyland scored her first senior goals since returning to action following the birth of her daughter, while Cliodhna Sargent netted a penalty stroke and Leanne Mullins, Orlagh Cotter and Rachel McSharry also hit the target.

Meanwhile, Cork Harlequins bowed out of the men’s Irish Junior Cup at the quarter-final stage as Three Rock Rovers raided Cork for the second time in this competition, winning 4-1.

Brian Hayes Cutin gave Quins the go-ahead goal but Garry Ringwood produced a stylish equaliser before Andy Macken and Roly Budd finished off base-line moves, with Ross Varian squeezing home a corner goal in between.

Cork Church of Ireland reached their second cup final of the season, advancing to the Peard Cup decider via a 6-2 semi-final win in Bandon.

David Hobbs was the catalyst, scoring one and assisting others for Philip Sweetnam and Alec Moffett before a pair of John Jermyn corners put the result beyond doubt. Twnety-four hours earlier, C of I made it nine wins from nine in Munster league action, hammering Catholic Institute 7-0.