Banbridge: Jamie Wright and Johnny McKee help seal EYHL play-off spot

The line up, which was confirmed with Bann’s emphatic victory, also includes Lisnagarvey, Three Rock Rovers and Glenanne.

A place in Europe is the prize on offer for the overall winners of the final-four tournament at Banbridge at the start of next month.

Bann also had Mark Cowan and Eugene Magee on target in the emphatic win.

In Saturday’s other game an 8-2 away defeat for Cookstown against Three Rock Rovers means the Tyrone side replace Cork Church of Ireland at the bottom of the table on goal difference, with just one game left against Bann.

And if they were to stay there, Cookstown would be relegated automatically.

In the Irish Hockey Challenge final in Dublin, two goals from Willie Edgar steered Ballynahinch to a thrilling 4-3 win over Limerick.

Matthew Martin and Scott Leetch also found the net for Hinch.

Meanwhile, Queen’s women need just two points from their remaining two Ulster Premier League games to be guaranteed the crucial runners-up spot after making hard work of beating second-bottom Randalstown at the Dub.

There is a strong possibility that only champions Lurgan and the team that finishes below them will qualify for next season’s second-tier Irish Hockey League, from which the winners are promoted to the top flight.

If Ards are relegated back into the Ulster League from the IHL then they would be granted an automatic berth in the national second division which runs concurrently with the domestic competition.

That’s looking increasingly likely after a shock 2-1 win for basement side Muckross over Dublin rivals UCD on Thursday night.

Having now been overtaken by Muckross, Ards go to Cork Harlequins on April 27, needing nothing short of victory to force even a relegation play-off.

After a bright start, Queen’s faded yesterday and Randalstown could have got a goal back to set up a nervy finish after trailing 2-0 at the break.

The students got off to a dream start when ex-Town player Rebecca Quinn drove into the circle and slipped the ball to Claire Whiteside, who applied a clinical finish.

Irish international Jessica McMaster slammed in a brilliant backhand shot eight minutes later and it looked like the floodgates would open.

But instead, Queen’s missed a host of chances, with McMaster twice going close and Tori Hastings being denied by Town keeper Laura Chestnutt, with the County Antrim side looking dangerous on the break.

Elsewhere, newly-crowned champions Lurgan were held to a 1-1 draw by Lisnagarvey at Comber Road, where Sarah McClure levelled after Rachel Houston had put the hosts ahead.

Paula Haugh, Orla Magee, Stef McCullough and Samantha Bann were on target for Banbridge in a 4-1 win over relegated Ballymena, whose consolation came from Claire Gillespie.

In Dublin, Dromore lifted the Irish Hockey Challenge title after Chelsey Wahn’s 50th-minute penalty corner sealed a 1-0 win over Clonmel in the final.