YMCA and Cork C of I escaped automatic relegation for now as they nicked results against top-half sides in the men’s EY Hockey League, condemning Cookstown to a return to the Ulster Premier League.
YMCA went into the weekend as the only side with their fate in their own hands, and they duly took that chance in beating Pembroke 2-0 at Wesley.
An undramatic scoreline but drama did abound, particularly in the first half when a penalty stroke was awarded to the YMCA. Sam Hyland stepped up to take it but was soon called off and shown a yellow card instead as YMCA breached substitution protocol and he, as captain, shipped the team punishment. After a few minutes of debate Grant Glutz finally stepped up and kept his nerve to score the vital goal.
Throughout the second half YMCA lived on their nerves while Pembroke lost their heads, going down to nine players for the last few minutes during which Cillian Hynes scored the second.
With Cookstown losing 5-1 against Banbridge, they dropped through the trapdoor with something of a whimper, with Cork C of I the beneficiaries.
C of I had trailed Cookstown by six points four weeks ago, but moved a point clear on Saturday by virtue of a 2-2 draw with understrength Three Rock Rovers.
That made it seven points out of 12, a remarkable recovery, but they are not out of the woods yet. As ninth place finishers they will face UCD next weekend in the promotion-relegation playoff after the students lost out to Corinthian in a shootout in the EYHL2 final.
UCD looked to have that title in their hands, but conceded to a David Howard corner with less than two minutes to go, making it 2-2.
Euan Mackay was the shootout hero, saving four times – adding to three saves a day earlier in the semi-final – to win 3-2 in sudden death.
