Harlequins hold nerve

Johnny Hughes, the Harlequins II captain, called the club's most esteemed life member Billy Carpenter from the exultant throng and together they hoisted the Irish Junior Cup aloft at Garryduff on Saturday.

Harlequins had won the trophy at the sixth attempt in beating Lisnagarvey II 5-4 in an exuberant 100th final, adding further lustre to the centenary celebrations of the Munster Branch.

It was a game full of movement. Indeed, the incisiveness of former schools' international Brian Long, in addition to the pace of Eddie Gash and Eddie O'Leary on the winners' wings, was probably more than Lisnagarvey had expected. There was a robust performance in midfield, too, by David Lombard, though he was opposed by a resourceful performer in Michael Kidd, the Lisnagarvey skipper, who brought Greg Lavery into play as a menacing attacker.

Jimmy Kirkwood, however, was unwell and, sturdily policed by Hughes, the Olympic gold medallist rarely came into the picture. Once, though, at 2-2, early in the second half, he fired in a shot which hit a post in an all-out onslaught in which Robert Shine also brought off a sequence of valuable saves. That was a critical period, for Harlequins counter-attacked to race into a 4-2 lead with quick goals by O'Leary and David Deady - and they held their nerve in an exciting finish.