Double delight for Church of Ireland in hockey cup finals

It was double delight for Cork Church of Ireland (CoI) Hockey Club as their men’s and women’s sides enjoyed success in Munster hockey finals.

Their women’s side was first into action as they got the better of Ashton in the Munster Division 1 final and their men followed suit later in the day, beating Bandon in the Munster Senior Cup final.

The men’s game went all the way to shuttles before a winner was decided while CoI won by 3-0, despite the best efforts of their opponents.

There was little between the sides early on in the women’s decider, with Ashton having the first real chance when Becky Maye saved well from Ciara O’Toole, following a short corner.

CoI’s best chance of the opening quarter also came from a short corner with Hollie Moffett’s shot being deflected over the bar by Nicola Kerr.

With 22 minutes gone CoI were in front when a great ball from Holly Lehane put Isabelle Martin through and she coolly slotted home to put her side in front.

Both sides had chances to score again before half-time, with O’Toole going close for Ashton and Alex O’Grady for CoI, but it remained 1-0 at the break.

Ashton started the second half the better of the two sides with Robyn Murphy driving her side forward in search of an equaliser, with Maye making a number of good saves.

But CoI regrouped for the final quarter, with Emma Barber doubling their lead from another short corner. Ashton were unlucky not to pull a goal back but Sarah Wrixon saved well to deny Cliodhna Murphy, as she swapped goalkeeping duties with Maye every quarter.

With time running out Emma Rumley secured the win for CoI when she beat several defenders to find the back of the net as they win a Munster senior cup competition for the first time since 2008.

The men’s game was a lot closer, with nothing between CoI and Bandon all through this season. Both played some superb hockey and it was no great surprise that it took a shuttles shoot-out before there was a winner of this one.

And even at that, there was drama in the shoot-out, with one having to be retaken before CoI won by 5-3 after the game ended 2-2.

In the game itself, CoI couldn’t have asked for a better start as they found the back of the net after just 45 seconds.

Simon Wolfe played Phillip Sweetnam in and he gave Harry Forsey no chance of saving. Bandon’s first chance came five minutes in when a Ross Smyth shot from a short corner was well saved by Sean Bateman.

With 12 minutes gone they were deservedly back on level terms when a ball into the circle was deflected and it fell to Ian Perrott who slotted home to equalise.

Both sides kept driving forward in search of goals, with Ian Balding outstanding at the back for CoI to deny Bandon on several occasions.

Alongside him, the experienced head of Alec Moffett also helped to keep Bandon at bay as they were dominating possession.

But CoI have a talented squad and it wasn’t long before the likes of Wolfe and Mark Collins were causing problems for the west Cork side again, with Fionn O’Leary leading the Bandon defence to keep them at bay.

Ten minutes into the second-half and CoI were back in front when Moffett scored from another short corner, but again Bandon responded.

Bateman made two great saves to deny Perrott twice from short corners as the Garryduff side were in front 2-1 at the end of the third quarter.

Bandon were not going away quietly with O’Leary going close before they were back on level terms.

Another Perrott shot from a short corner fell to David Smith who got a touch to deflect it past Bateman to make it 2-2 after 63 minutes.

It was end-to-end play for the remaining seven minutes with Wolfe going close for CoI and Balding also having a shot blocked from a short corner to see it end all square.

Shuttles were called and similar to penalties both sides take five. The difference is the players start at a certain point and have just eight seconds to move into the circle and try to score.

After both sides had taken three they were still level, before CoI went 4-3 up. Bandon’s fourth penalty had its own drama with one umpire ruling the attacker had fouled the keeper, but after consulting the second umpire the shuttle was retaken. This put the attacker off and he missed the retake, with CoI scoring the fifth to win by 5-3 to win back the cup for the first time since 2017.