INSTONIANS, having over-powered Subotica of Yugoslavia, 6-1 on Saturday, claimed a place in the final of the B Division of the European Club Championship after coming back from two goals down to secure a point from a 2-2 draw against Belgian side White Star in Cagliari, Sardinia, yesterday.
Veteran international Marc Coudron converted a penalty corner in the 32nd minute to put White Star ahead and Alain Saya consolidated the Belgian lead with 13 minutes remaining.
Paddy Brown earned the Ulster side the draw they required when he struck with two short-corner conversions in the 56th and 59th minutes to earn Instonians a place in the final against host team Amsicora and clinch Lisnagarvey top-flight status next season.
Instonians had made a vital winning start in Pool A by beating Grange of Scotland, 3-2 on Friday and then they had an easy task in Saturday's match against Subotica when Jon Atkins helped himself to a hat-trick.
England's representatives, Cannock stumbled at the final hurdle against Amsicora in Pool B. The English side led 2-0, after just three minutes of the second half, but ended up with only a 2-2 draw - not enough to take them through.
Bobby Crutchley gave Cannock the lead with a corner strike just before half-time and then hit the target for a second time with a penalty, after Chris Mayer had been fouled by the goalkeeper.
With Amsicora suffering from indiscipline, Cannock appeared to have the match firmly under control - but unfortunately for them their defence was found wanting at penalty corners.
Luca Sanna, the first of two local players to be sent to the sin bin, cut the arrears in the 48th minute with a corner strike. Then with nine minutes remaining, Alessio Raggio forced the equaliser.
The division of the spoils left Cannock and Amsicora equal on points, but the Italians go through to play Instonians, because they finished with a better goal difference as a result of beating Swansea 7-0 on Saturday.
With Cannock failing to reach the final, new English champions Reading will have to content themselves with a place in the B division next year.
In the women's European Club Championship, defeats by the champions of Ukraine and the Czech Republic over the weekend in Catania, Sicily, not only ended Muckross's hopes of promotion to the A division but leave them needing to win their final play-off match today to avoid relegation to Division C.
After going down 3-1 to Dynamo Sumy (Ukraine) on Saturday, when only Orla Bell could score, the All-Ireland champions suffered a further setback yesterday when a seventh-minute goal by Terezi Vanova gave Slavia Prague the points in their final pool match.
Muckross play Lokomotiva Raka of Slovakia this morning and must win to retain their division B status while hosts Cus Catania meet Dynamo Sumy for a place in the A division.
It was confirmed over the weekend that Peter Darley, the Ireland and former Trinity, YMCA and Avoca goalkeeper, has joined Corinthians (the first Leinster hockey club to go on the Internet).
