Cork sides C of I, Harlequins, and UCC all moved very much into the shake-up for the EY Hockey League Division 2 playoffs with strong performances over the weekend.

Micheál Martin and Leo Varadkar are set to go head-to-head on Prime Time on Tuesday.

Cork C of I emerged from the Farmers Cross fog with a 3-1 semi-final win over Harlequins to set up a St Stephen’s Day Peard Cup final showdown with Bandon.

Roisin Begley’s final second strike helped Catholic Institute secure a little piece history as they landed their first ever win in the women’s EY Hockey League, beating Belfast Harlequins 3-2.

Stephen Findlater Hockey

Cork C of I and UCC face off in eye-catching Irish Senior Cup derby at Garryduff tomorrow (2.30pm) with a quarter-final place on offer.

Munster hockey’s biggest derby returns for the first time in four seasons as Cork C of I and Harlequins face off on the opening day of men’s Division One tomorrow.

The West Cork derby meeting of Carbery Rangers and Castlehaven is the stand-out tie in the second round of the Cork SFC following the draws at tonight’s county board meeting at Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Cork Harlequins, Catholic Institute and Cork C of I all grabbed the results they wanted to make it a perfect weekend for Munster hockey on the national stage.

Ger Millerick has been named in a strong Cork hurling team to face Kilkenny in Wednesday night's "Kieran O'Connor Benefit Game" in Páirc Uí Rinn.

If Catholic Institute’s women continue their remarkable perfect record for the season, they will be crowned Munster Division One champions on Sunday evening.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald had a good abortion referendum campaign, but a bad presidential election, writes Alison O'Connor

Catholic Institute face the biggest test to their impressive early-season credentials with tomorrow’s trip to Monkstown.

Irish coach Alexander Cox is set to make his first significant squad announcement next Tuesday as the men’s hockey World Cup in India comes into view.

UCC missed out on possible promotion to the women’s EY Hockey League in frustrating fashion at the Mardyke as they ended the round-robin in third place.

Cork Harlequins’ remote hopes of overhauling UCD in the women’s EY Hockey League were ended in emphatic fashion.

Cork Harlequins women will have to adjust their plans at short notice with the news that the EY Champions Trophy play-offs have been switched at short notice from Banbridge to Grange Road in Dublin.

Cliodhna Sargent’s last-minute penalty corner smash has kept Cork Harlequins’ outside chances of EY Hockey League glory alive.

New Ireland women’s head coach Adam Griggs believes a daunting test in France tonight will be the making of his team.

Ireland’s women have been dealt a reasonably favourable pool in the women’s World Cup next July with their date with India looking to be the crucial one if they are to make the knock-out phases.

Cork Harlequins are the last remaining unbeaten side in the women’s EY Hockey League as they swept to a 3-0 win over Pembroke Wanderers in Dublin. The result keeps them within a point of leaders UCD.

While Cork C of I are the only Munster side in the men’s EY Hockey League, the Garryduff outfit view tomorrow’s game with Dublin’s Pembroke (Garryduff, 2.30pm) as their main derby for the season.

Naomi Carroll’s hat-trick saw Cork Harlequins sweep aside Trinity 5-1 in the women’s EY Hockey League, boosting the Farmer’s Cross club into a share of top spot.

Almost half of those aged 18 to 29 are working on non-standard contracts, prompting calls for more efforts to provide greater job security for millennials.

Cork man Conor Harte hammered the final nail in Banbridge’s Euro Hockey League coffin for this season as his drag-flick completed a 6-2 win for Royal Racing Club de Bruxelles.

The Irish U21 women’s side had their status in the top tier of European competition assured thanks to an EHF executive board decision this week which keeps alive their hopes of playing in the 2020 Junior World Cup.

Drinks maker C&C said its move into the pub business in England and Wales can boost its signature cider brand.

Heineken saw strong growth in its cider sales in Ireland during the first half of the year, something analysts view as more pressure for the Bulmers-owning C&C Group.

The likelihood of a snap election in the months after the Fine Gael leadership race has increased sharply after the Government party surged ahead of Fianna Fáil in the latest public support poll.

C&C chief executive Stephen Glancey has insisted that the cider and lager maker remains committed to its struggling US business despite a further writedown in its value pulling the group into the red last year.

Emma Buckley looks set to continue a trend of young Ireland senior debutants as the Mount Mercy College student is poised to win her first cap next week.

It was moving day at both ends of the men’s EY Hockey League with a slew of surprise results on Saturday.

Cork Harlequins, despite playing two games in just over 24 hours, advanced to the Irish Senior Cup final for the first time in 15 years.

Graham Shaw has his sights set on World Cup qualification after his Ireland side cruised to a World League 2 title in Kuala Lumpur.

Ulster 3-17 Munster 1-15: Kerry men have been leaving Dublin empty handed for quite a while now and Kingdom duo Aidan O’Mahony and Tommy Walsh experienced more of the same yesterday. Defeat while on interprovincial duty at a near empty Parnell Park won’t of course sting like a loss at nearby Croke Park to the Dubs in August or September.

Glen Rovers’ quest for a third Cork SHC title in a row will begin against Bride Rovers in the 2017 preliminary round.

Crescent College Comprehensive’s defence of the Munster Senior Schoolgirls Cup remains on course after they dispatched Bandon Grammar with a last-minute winner in West Cork on Wednesday.

UCC’s new-look women’s outfit will be given the sternest of early tests as they reacquaint themselves with Munster hockey.

Shares in C&C climbed by nearly 3% yesterday as the Irish drinks group gave an upbeat outlook for its current financial year, backed by a better-than-expected dividend lift for investors.