While Lisnagarvey gained a lacklustre 2-1 win at the expense of Pembroke Wanderers in a two-colours-blue struggle in Dublin, the more gripping Nissan-sponsored Irish Senior Cup quarterfinal on Saturday materialised in the Belfast derby in which the holders Instonians were eliminated by Annadale in a 5-4 shootout.
The sides had been deadlocked, 3-3, at Olympia, the tie having gone into extra time thanks to a last-minute equaliser by Annadale substitute Peter Girke from Germany who works for Amnesty International.
Twice Neil Cooke had driven Instonians ahead from short corners but first Geoffrey Clarke replied and ultimately, with barely 30 seconds remaining, Girke was put through by Andrew Smyth to make it 2-2.
Although Mervyn Cooke gave Instonians the lead again, Philip Morrow marked his 22nd birthday by restoring Annadale to level terms and earning their chance of survival. The strokes competition went to 4-4 before John Tormey saved from Jon Atkins and then Stephen Galway atoned for missing an open goal earlier in the game by netting the decisive flick. So Annadale are through to another semi-final and steadily growing in maturity.
Everyone, though, is waiting for Cork C of I to show their hand in next weekend's game against Avoca at Garryduff. Although Although Pembroke's social committee jollied up the occasion at Serpentine Avenue, neither Wanderers nor Lisnagarvey could provide much of a spectacle. As happened in the 1997 final, the home side presented their rivals with an early goal - this time within a minute of the start as Julian Stevenson seized possession and left Daniel Clarke with a simple tap-in.
Pembroke subsequently matched the visitors through the field. Indeed, Stephen Stewart soon fired a shot barely wide while the unsparing efforts of Francis de Rosa, Devin Donnelly and Paudie Carley were reflected in a final short-corner count of 8-3 but only one chance fell for Simon Kershaw to put away an equaliser two minutes into the second half.
Lisnagarvey quickly responded with a thrust from Mark Tumilty which Nigel Henderson (after an earlier point-blank save) could stifle only through the concession of a penalty stroke. Robbie Taylor converted and, along with Alan Dowd and Pakenham Pim, he defended with a depth of experience against which Pembroke did not have sufficient weight to break down.
Avoca, though they lost only one match, had to be satisfied with fifth place in the European indoor championship (C division) in Budapest. After being edged out of the semi-finals by Porto and Olimpic Vinnitsa (Ukraine), the Irish representatives beat Svoboda of Slovenia on strokes (31) after a 2-2 draw and then finished with a flourish in overpowering Elektrovojvodina of Yugoslavia 7-2. Stephen Kinsella, Trevor Dagg and Galahad Goulet were Avoca's leading performers.
