Dave Egner wary of C of I revival in Peard Cup final

UCC coach Dave Egner is anticipating a far tougher encounter in the Peard Cup final against Cork C of I B than when the sides met in the Munster Division One in October.

Then, they swept to a 5-1 win but the St Stephen’s Day decider has a habit of producing the odd rogue outcome and Egner is wary of discounting the Garryduff side.

UCC have since won all four of their league ties in this campaign while C of I have yet to register a point, a by-product of their first team departures to Dublin during the summer. But Egner saw enough in C of I’s semi-final shoot-out win over Ashton to be concerned.

“We are still favourites but it is going to be much tighter than the league game,” he said. “In their semi-final, they looked very good going forward and they move the ball very fast. It’s also their pitch and their crowd so I would expect a much tougher tie.”

For the students, Kilkenny natives Sam Grace and Eoin Finnegan may have a little weariness in their legs as they travel down to the tie on the morning of the match. Otherwise, Egner has a fully fit panel to select from. There is plenty of know-how in Shrew Power and Adam O’Callaghan, while Darren Wilkinson and Brian Stockil will be looking to win the title for a second successive season having made the move during the summer.

They are gunning for a second title of the season having already won the intervarsity Mauritius Plate.

C of I B, are champions, but will need goalkeeper Peter Coulter — an Irish U21 panelist — to be on his game while Ken Twomey in midfield and Mark Gallagher up front are the other key men. Beyond them, with Philip Smith injured, so much of the faith is in youth.

Meanwhile, Bandon host Ashton in the first round of the Irish Hockey Trophy tomorrow afternoon.

Tomorrow: Men, Irish Hockey Trophy, Round 1:

Bandon v Ashton, Bandon Grammar Sch, 2pm.

St Stephen’s Day: Men, Munster Peard Cup final:

Cork Church of Ireland B v University College Cork, Garryduff, 2pm.