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.

David and Conor Harte are set to return to the scene of their first international caps following their inclusion in the Irish men’s squad for the FIH Series finals in Le Touquet, France.

In a week of famous comebacks, Cork Harlequins are savouring one of their own as they won the Irish Senior Cup for just the second time at Grange Road on Saturday.

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.

Cork C of I’s women dug deep to grab the women’s Irish Hockey Trophy title with a spectacular second-half comeback, rising from 2-0 down to beat Galway’s Greenfields 4-2.

Cork Harlequins enjoyed a sublime weekend with the men landing the Munster Division 1 crown while the women earned an Irish Senior Cup final spot.

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

Cliodhna Sargent’s penalty corner strike powered Cork Harlequins into the Irish Senior Cup semi-finals as they snatched a late 2-1 win over Muckross.

The Irish women’s team’s Olympic Games hopes received a huge boost as they were confirmed as one of the host nations for the next phase of qualifiers for Tokyo.

Dave Egner has divided loyalties this weekend as the Cork Harlequins side he plays for face the UCC team he coaches in the Irish Hockey Trophy.

John Jermyn is set to receive the perfect send-off to his international hockey career this evening as he lines out one last time for Ireland at his home ground of Garryduff against France.

John Jermyn is set to receive the perfect send-off to his international hockey career this evening as he lines out one last time for Ireland at his home ground of Garryduff against France.

Cork Harlequins found national glory out of reach for the second season running as Loreto’s corner efficiency saw the Dubliners come from behind to land the EY Champions Trophy.

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

Transport Minister Shane Ross has batted away accusations of engaging in ‘gombeen politics’ over the allocation of sporting grants and, instead, highlighted opposition TDs lobbying for club funds.

Opportunity knocks on Sunday as the men’s and women’s Munster Senior Cup finals take place at Garryduff with the potential for new names to claim the trophy.

Katie Mullan and Lena Tice struck to earn Ireland a 2-0 win over Spain in Malaga yesterday.

It proved a case of two steps forward, one step back for Catholic Institute in the Munster Women’s Division One title race as no sooner had they cracked open the race with UCC they were pegged back by Cork C of I.

Craig Fulton has expressed frustration that little movement has been made to support Irish athletes – both from hockey and beyond – who work full-time in addition to representing their country.

Hockey

Peard Cup final: UCC 4 - Cork C of I ‘B’ 3

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.

With the détente between the Irish Hockey Umpires Association and Hockey Ireland in place, the EY Hockey League will tip off this weekend after two weeks of cancellations.

Kinsale’s Conor Harte has overcome a knock to take up a place in the Irish men’s squad for next month’s World League semi-final tournament in Johannesburg, the main qualifier for the 2018 World Cup.

UCD claimed the women’s EY Hockey League in dramatic fashion as Lena Tice struck two penalty corners to inflict a first defeat of the league season on Hermes-Monkstown, leap-frogging their Dublin rivals on the final day of the campaign.

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.

Last Saturday morning, Naomi Carroll left her home in Cratloe, Co. Clare and pointed the car in the direction of Cork, where her Harlequins team saw off Pembroke Wanderers 3-0 to keep their EY Hockey League title challenge alive.

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.

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.

Cork Church of Ireland will hope to further shatter Lisnagarvey’s air of invincibility as they welcome the EY Hockey League holders to Garryduff tomorrow (2pm).

The ever-growing gap between the EY Hockey League and the provincial leagues was evident as big scorelines littered the women’s Irish Senior Cup first round on Saturday.

The second season of the EY Hockey League gets underway this weekend and 11 Olympians will feature, fresh from their Rio 2016 campaign.

“Bloody delighted!” That was David Harte’s simple assessment as Ireland claimed their first win in an Olympic hockey tournament since 1908 in helter-skelter fashion, seeing off Canada 4-2.

Ashton and Catholic Institute will size each other up yet again in an overly familiar Munster Senior Cup semi-final clash at Rosbrien tomorrow (1pm).

As Irish hockey puts to bed one of the most memorable years in its history, the men’s national team will hope to break even more new ground in 2016.