MEN'S HOCKEY: Cork Harlequins will represent Ireland in Europe next season as Irish Club Champions after a 1-1 draw with Corinthians yesterday secured their place on top of the table in the four-team, round-robbin finals.Johnny Watterson reports.

It is the first time Harlequins have won a senior Irish trophy, one they deservingly earned over the course of the weekend.

With strength running through the team, Harlequins initially went 1-0 down to the Dublin side when Miles Warren scooped in following a switch at their fourth short corner just two minutes from half time.

Corinthians, who pleasantly surprised a few with their high tempo, attacking hockey forced several sharp responses from goalkeeper Wesley Bateman in a first half which flowed brightly from end to end.

Cork forward Eddie Gash also asked some stern questions of Corinthians Charlie Henderson in an evenly matched period.

It was the second half that Harlequins stepped up; Richard Gash touching high over Henderson following a 50-yard over-head ball from David Eakins at right back.

Eakins relieving high balls from defence into space for running forwards were a feature throughout the second period.

Captain Jason Black plugged left midfield and helped moving forward while Nicholson and Paul Lombard remained lively and dangerous throughout in attack.

Warren, Colin Stewart and James Benson typically worried the Harlequins goal, but the Cork side, aware that a draw was all they needed worked carefully for the result but were far from stifling the match.

The result left them with two wins and a draw from the three matches, enough to send them out against the cream of Germany, Holland, England and Spain in Europe next spring.

With a year to strengthen their squad and work on a few aspects of their game, such as holding possession a little longer, they will look forward to a tournament which is likely to be staged under warmer conditions and played at a much higher tempo.

Without doubt over the weekend, Harlequins were clearly the sharpest team on view.

For the other three sides, Corinthians' open brand of play was eye catching and a success, while Glenanne's discipline let them down.

Playing with 10 men (three yellow cards) for almost an entire half in their game against Harlequins on Sunday seemed tremendously self-defeating, while Instonians simply didn't fire.

IRISH CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP: Cork Harlequins 1 (Richard Gash), Corinthians 1 (M Warren); Glenanne 3 (J Goulding 2, D Shaw), Instonians 0.