YMCA relished their Irish Senior Cup victory over Annadale as the Leinster league side eliminated their EY Hockey League counter-parts in a shoot-out at Strathearn on Saturday.
It was a revenge served cold with the frost wiping out five of the eight ISC ties on the agenda as the Dubliners won out 3-0 after normal time had ended 1-1.
For Jason Klinkradt and his team, their hope of reaching the national stage was cruelly taken away from them by Dale last spring with a last minute Callum Robson goal dashing their promotion hopes.
As such, there was a glint in their eye when they travelled up the M1 as they dug in for a real arm-wrestle. Sam Hyland thought he had given YM the victory without recourse to the shoot-out, netting five minutes from time after a piece of magic at the byline.
But Rhiley Carr replied with two minutes to go to salvage an extra chance to swing it the favourite’s way. YM, though, held their nerve in spectacular style.
Monkstown had similar difficulties in beating Leinster opposition but David Cole’s single strike eventually did for UCD at the Merrion Fleet Arena.
Cork C of I were the other side to go through thanks to a 7-2 win over Kilkeel, Julian Dale in inspired form, netting four times.
C of I’s legs, though, went against them on Sunday afternoon as they produced a weary final quarter against a fresher Three Rock Rovers in a 6-0 result.
Rovers’ cup tie with Cookstown was one that fell on Saturday and they were much livelier early on, Peter Blakeney and John Mullins both scoring in the first nine minutes.
C of I had much of the play for the next two quarters but were out on their feet, conceding four in the closing 17 minutes.
