Lisnagarvey strengthened Ulster's hand in the last-four stage of the All-Ireland Championship by out-striking Cork C of I, 4-1, in the second leg of their quarter-final tie at Blaris on Saturday.

So the Lisburn side go through on a 5-4 aggregate to join Instonians, Harlequins and probably Pembroke Wanderers in the round-robin competition at Belfield in a fortnight's time.

Lisnagarvey were quicker to the ball in all sectors and had a 3-0 half-time cushion.

Mark Black had shown some signs of C of I's capabilities, but when Brian Waring sent Mark Tumilty through to slam the home team into a 4-0 lead 10 minutes into the second half, it seemed that Lisnagarvey were cruising.

The tie was kept alive, however, when Nigel Buttimer converted a penalty stroke. There was now the scenario that a second away goal would snatch a last-four berth for C of I.

Buttimer and Alastair Dunne started to get the momentum going, but Lisnagarvey refused to be outreached.

Instonians, the defending champions, were able to count on their 3-2 first-leg lead gained against Glenanne in Dublin to sustain them in the return game at Olympia Leisure Centre. Glenanne continued their resistance all the way to the final hooter, and in finishing with a 2-2 draw, can have ambitions of remaining in the top strata next season.

Instonians again put on the greater amount of pressure, but it was only 1-1 at the interval as Stephen Butler found space to defiantly cancel out a short-corner second-phase goal by Clarke Kennedy. From a Paul Hollway free, Mark Irwin deflected Instonians back into control and Irwin, put through by Stephen Reid, then hit a post with a second goal at his mercy. A last-gasp penalty for the Dubiners, dispatched by Butler, became only a statistic.

Harlequins emerged with the widest aggregate (5-2) in seeing off Avoca, 3-1, at Farmers Cross, all the goals coming in the first half.

The Lombard brothers, Paul and David, combined to open the scoring, before Eddie Gash completed a movement from one circle to the other to leave the home side in command. Trevor Dagg replied from a short corner, before Jason Black restored the Cork side's clear advantage, following a set-piece rebound.

The return game at Serpentine Avenue was postponed until next Saturday because of the death of Ed Tormey, father of the Annadale goalkeeper, John.

All-Ireland Championship - Quarter-finals (second leg) - Lisnagarvey 4 (A Dowd, J Gray, K Lunn, M Tumilty) Cork C of I 1 (N Buttimer pen str) agg, 5-4; Instonians 2 (C Kennedy, M Irwin) Glenanne 2 (S Butler 2 - one pen str) agg, 5-4; Harlequins 3 (D Lombard, E Gash, J Black) Avoca 1 (T Dagg) agg, 5-2; Pembroke Wanderers (4) v Annadale (2) postponed until next Saturday (11.0).

Corinthians 11, with Glyn Murphy at the helm, retained the Railway Cup in beating Glenanne 11s 3-0 in yesterday's final at Serpentine Avenue. Nick Corson scored at an early stage from a pass by Robbie Burns, who added two goals in the second half.

Leinster Junior Cup final - Naas 11s 1 (J Coonan), Pembroke Wanderers Vs 0; Railway Cup final - Corinthians 11s 3 (N Corson, R Burns 2) Glenanne 11s 0.

Weston have been promoted to Division Two of the Leinster Senior League for next season.