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.

Bandon were again left to wonder what might have been after their hopes of EY Hockey League qualification were scuppered by Instonians.

Last year’s young hurler of the year. Tadhg de Búrca, is one of 10 stellar talents honoured in the annual sports awards, to be presented tonight by University College, Cork.

Some unusual names will adorn hockey’s St Stephen’s Day trophies around Ireland after a quartet of entertaining finals produced a glut of goals.

Cork Harlequins are quietly moving back into contention in the women’s EY Hockey League after a 7-0 dismantling of Greenfields moved them up to third place.

Ireland proved far too strong for Turkey to complete their World League 2 pool games with a huge 13-0 win, with Clare woman Naomi Carroll netting four times at Belfield.

Cork Church of Ireland 4 Bandon 1

Cork Church of Ireland remain on course to defend their Peard Cup crown, but only after another stern examination from traditional rivals Cork Harlequins.

Catholic Institute will get another major test of their title credentials this weekend as UCC come calling to Rosbrien.

Cork C of I 3 UCC 3 (C of I win 5-4 on penalties after aet)

Club hockey for U21 players will make a welcome return to the Munster calendar next week as a new one-day tournament gets underway at Garryduff.

It wasn’t a game for the ages but UCC won’t care as they finally broke their duck against Cork Harlequins by grinding out a 2-1 Peard Cup semi-final win at Farmer’s Cross on Saturday.

They say you don’t win trophies at Christmas but you do in Munster hockey — and Cork C of I will be hoping a third straight Peard Cup success is the start of bigger and better things to come for them.

Cork Harlequins will be hoping to continue their hoodoo over Ulster sides as they continue their Irish Senior Cup defence at home to Cookstown tomorrow (3pm).

LOUISA HEALY and Megan Frazer will make their first international appearances in over 18 months later this month following their inclusion in Gene Muller’s panel for Ireland’s tour to South Africa.

BANDON will look to be the fly in Cork Harlequins’ ointment in a clash that is likely to end the losers’ faint title hopes at Harlequin Park tomorrow (12pm).

IRELAND senior men’s coach Paul Revington received a deserved early Christmas gift yesterday when he was named as one of world hockey’s best coaches for 2011.

CLIODHNA SARGENT could be set to get an early Christmas present this weekend — her 100th Irish senior cap.

CORK HARLEQUINS raided the Mardyke twice in 24 hours to end the cup dreams of UCC’s men and women on a memorable weekend for the Farmer’s Cross club.

MEGAN FRAZER looks set to answer Ireland’s call once more after being named as America’s best university field hockey player.

MELVIN BEAMISH’S quick hands earned Bandon a famous 3-2 Irish Junior Cup victory over Cork Harlequins on Saturday.

THE Garryduff trophy cabinet is bulging under some strain this morning after Cork Church of Ireland amazingly claimed victory in four men’s cup finals in less than 48 hours.

A MEMORABLE weekend could be in store for Munster hockey with three sides seeking maiden Irish cup titles, while there are a slew of pivotal ties as the leagues approach their finales.

BANDON’S gut-wrenching loss to Three Rock Ladies was the only bit of bad news on a productive day for Munster women’s hockey in Irish competitions.

THREE ROCK ROVERS sprung a South African surprise on Cork Church of Ireland on Saturday, as Jody Hosking’s double helped them to a noteworthy 2-1 Irish Junior Cup round one win at Garryduff.

IRISH captain Ronan Gormley will come face-to-face with his hometown club Pembroke Wanderers in the last 16 of the EuroHockey League, after his side, Club de Campo were drawn against the Dubliners yesterday.

GLENANNE ensured Ireland will have two representatives in the last 16 of the EuroHockey League for the first time, after they got the favour they required from German side Mannheimer in Terrassa, Spain yesterday.

A TROUBLESOME hip injury has forced Cork Church of Ireland and Ireland goalkeeper Mark Ruddle to prematurely retire from the game.

CORK HARLEQUINS and UCC will reprise their rivalry for the first time this season tomorrow at Harlequin Park (2pm), with a women’s Munster Senior Cup final berth the reward for the victor.

THE hockey season kicks back into gear tomorrow with the Irish Senior Cup looming into view for most clubs, after an enforced month-long absence.

CORK’S big two meet for the second time in a fortnight this weekend, with Cork Harlequins hoping home advantage can help swing things their way in their Peard Cup semi-final clash with Cork C of I at Harlequin Park tomorrow (12pm).

THE opening weekend of this season’s women’s ESB Irish Hockey League will have a distinctly local flavour to it on Leeside, where perennial rivals Cork Harlequins and Cork Church of Ireland will lock horns in Pool A tomorrow (Harlequin Park, 2pm).

THE picture regarding one of the most fascinating women’s title races in Munster should be a lot clearer as champions Cork Harlequins meet pretenders Cork C of I at Garryduff tomorrow (2.30pm).

ANDY CHAMBERS wasn’t at all surprised when the draw for the fourth round of the Irish Senior Cup threw up yet another clash between Cork sides Church of Ireland and Harlequins for the third time in the last five years.

IT is more than a little ironic that Cork Harlequins ace striker Richard Gash and Cork Church of Ireland’s Mark Ruddle are best friends.

THE draw for the first round of the Irish Junior Cup pairs cup holders Lisnagarvey II and the 2002 winners Pembroke Wanderers in what should be the match of the round.