With Bangor, the holders, being ousted by King's Hospital as well as RBAI losing out to Wesley in a shoot-out, only Cookstown are left to represent Ulster - a rarity - in the semi-finals of the Irish Schools Championship in Dublin. In the last-four stages this morning, King's Hospital meet Munster's standard bearers, Ashton, at Ballinteer while Wesley take on Cookstown at Whitechurch Park.

Wesley and RBAI were involved in the most gripping match of the day at Danum. Andrew O'Kane drove Wesley into the lead but Ian Hamilton, having had a penalty stroke saved by an inspired Wendell Armstrong, put Richard Lee through for an equaliser before the interval and then gave his side a 2-1 advantage in a stirring second half. Wesley attacked strongly in the closing stages and were rewarded when Andrew Walker forced the last short corner of the game for Peter McConnell to make it 2-2.

So, with the sides level on points and goal difference, it was down to strokes from the penalty spot, with Wesley prevailing 5-4 (in sudden death) to take top place in the group.

Ashton, with Carl Burns and John Jermyn linking particularly effectively, continued to make an impression in their 6-0 win over Sandford Park and they may have been conserving energy for today's activity in conceding defeat to Regent House in their final pool match.

Cookstown edged out Kilkenny on goal difference by hitting St Andrew's for 10, with Ian Hutchinson much to the fore, while King's Hospital came through in beating MCB, 4-3, and with a higher goals total, eliminated Bangor.