They were never under any illusions down at Farmers Cross about just how difficult it would be for Cork Harlequins to retain the Sharwood's Irish Senior Cup this season but the draw for next month's quarter-finals complicates their task just a little bit more. Yes, the cup holders have been drawn away to Pegasus.
"It's the draw nobody wanted, that's for sure," said Harlequins coach Bernie Heffernan, "but we knew defending our title wouldn't be easy and that whoever we played in the quarter-finals would give us the toughest match we've had all season. But when we're firing on all cylinders I believe we're good enough to beat anyone in the country and that's the attitude we'll take with us to Belfast."
Apart from a sticky patch just before and after half-time Harlequins had a relatively comfortable 4-1 win over Coleraine on Saturday, with Jill Hodgins and Karen O'Brien scoring two apiece. Pegasus made even lighter work of their second round tie beating Church of Ireland 7-0. At Belfield, clinical finishing from three well worked short corners helped Hermes to a 3-2 win over Loreto who had taken a 10th minute lead through Cathy McKean but Hermes levelled through Carol Devine shortly before half time. When Daphne Sixsmith put Hermes 21 up five minutes after the break, when her corner strike was deflected past Louisa Healy, Loreto's confidence appeared to dip and they rarely threatened to find a way back in to the game. Aisling Keane all but sealed the victory for Hermes 10 minutes from time, when she got a touch on another Sixsmith strike, before McKean added her second in the final minute. Worthy of special mention is Healy, Loreto's Irish under-18 goalkeeper, who had another fine game for the club on Saturday in what was her first ever Irish Senior Cup tie. The Loreto Wexford old girl is quickly moving to the top of the `one to watch' category.
Trish Conway is making it increasingly difficult for the Irish selectors to ignore her claims to an international recall, such has been her goalscoring form this season. On Saturday she made it seven goals in two games when she scored four for Old Alexandra in their 6-1 win over Lansdowne. Alexandra next meet Pembroke Wanderers who survived a gutsy challenge from the University of Limerick, for whom Emer Cregan and Brid Kilbane were outstanding. Kathryn Henderson, Pembroke's player of the match, gave the Dublin side the lead after 15 minutes before Wendy Hobson made it 2-0 just before half-time. Sally Ann McAuliffe pulled a goal back for Limerick midway through the second period and they chances to level the game but Pembroke survived and could even afford to miss a late stroke.
Portadown and Ballymoney won their respective Ulster derbies against Belfast Harlequins and Knock, with Portadown drawn away to Hermes and Ballymoney facing more local opposition in the form of Randalstown, who had a superb 3-0 win over Trinity in the second round.
