HOCKEY: All-Ireland Club ChampionshipsWell, well. No Ulster teams in the semi-finals of the National Club Championships next weekend in Belfield. That is a major surprise as Glenanne, Pembroke, Cork C of I and Cork Harlequins graduated from the weekend's tournament to qualify for next weekend's finale.
The representatives from one of the strong holds of hockey, Banbridge, Cookstown and Annadale will have gone home desperately disappointed from Serpentine Avenue when it came down to yesterday's performances after three days' play.
Pembroke were the first off and their 6-2 defeat of Monkstown secured their place against Glenanne next week in one semi-final. Monkstown came into the event as no-hopers but left with their heads held high. Richie O'Malley and Gareth Watkins hit two goals against Pembroke but the home side replied twice through Alan Giles and Ian Symons and one each from Alan Sothern and Gordon Elliott.
Harlequins advanced with a 3-3 draw against Banbridge, who thought they had done enough when leading 3-2 with 10 minutes to go with goals from Colin Dowds and two from Simon McGowan. But the Cork side, benefiting from being a man up, hit back. Richard Gash, David Eakins and David Lombard netted to secure a meeting next weekend against neighbours, rivals and regular opponents (they're sick of the sight of each other) C of I.
C of I pulled off a cracking win against Irish Senior Cup finalists with a 3-2 win over Annadale. Ian Hamilton, the Ulster side's short-corner maestro, hit two goals but scores from John Jermyn, another short-corner specialist, John Bruton and Philip Smith secured the necessary win.
Finally, Glenanne also came through in the last game of the day. Although the Irish Senior Cup winners went 2-0 up, they went down to 10 men having shipped a yellow card. Cookstown hit back and by half-time it was 2-2. But in the second half, Stephen Butler converted a penalty for Glenanne to win 3-2 and edge Cookstown out.
Next week, then, it is a cosy enough affair. Glenanne face Leinster rivals Pembroke and the two Cork teams square up, all at Belfield.
