UCC gain revenge on South Antrim and qualify for Trophy decider again

UCC continued their habit of doing things the hard way but eventually progressed to a second successive Irish Hockey Trophy final with a 3-2 win over South Antrim at the Mardyke on Saturday.

Neil Welch’s students were gunning for revenge after losing last year’s decider to South, and that desire showed in the opening 10 minutes as Fionn O’Leary deflected home passes from man of the match Andy Gray and Stuart O’Grady for a 2-0 lead.

But College failed to kill the game off despite their first-half superiority and allowed the Ulster outfit back into it, with Ian Harbinson reversing home while Chris Henry finished off a corner move.