Quins facing vital clash with C of I to keep title dreams alive

Cork Harlequins’ hopes of retaining their Munster men’s title will likely rest on their crunch clash with Cork Church of Ireland at Farmer’s Cross tomorrow (12.30pm).

Phil Oakley’s men are gunning for a third straight title but have ceded the initiative to C of I this season, as Simon Wolfe hit a last-gasp winner in the sides’ last meeting in January before Quins dropped a point to UCC for the first time in around a decade, drawing 3-3 with the students.

Quins still hold a two-point lead over C of I and the sides will also have to meet once more in the league, meaning nothing is set in stone. But the Garryduff men have two winnable games in hand, both against Bandon, and have a 100% record this season so far, therefore they hold all the aces.

Furthermore, Quins will be alarmed at conceding four goals to their second team before eventually running out 6-4 winners on Tuesday night. Ireland U18 hitman Gary Wilkinson will be a big loss for C of I though, as he is ruled out due to exam commitments.

UCC’s league campaign has all but petered out and they will use their final games, against C of I B tomorrow and Quins B next weekend, as warm-ups for their upcoming Irish Hockey League wildcard playoff tie against Leinster’s Corinthian, a winner-takes-all tie with IHL qualification on the line.

Farmer’s Cross is also the venue for the first in what could be a seismic double-header between Catholic Institute and Cork Harlequins’ ladies. Both sides are fighting in the league with UCC and meet again here in eight days but first up is a Munster Senior Cup semi-final (2.30pm). Institute are flying, handing out big beatings — including a 5-1 rout of Quins — to all and sundry in recent weeks. The Leesiders badly miss Cliodhna Sargent — on World League 2 duty with Ireland in Spain — but have enough quality to damage Ger O’Carroll’s hopes of guiding her charges to a third successive league and cup double.

Ashton host Fermoy in the Munster Senior Plate semi-finals, with Alan Dobson’s girls sure to be seeking retribution against the north Cork outfit, who stole two points with a late goal in a 1-1 league draw last Saturday.