Ireland U19 15 England U19 16

U20 Six Nations: Ireland 16 England 15

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.

Derry cruised to an 11-points victory over Down in this tame Ulster SHC semi-final in Casement Park yesterday.

Derry 0-24 Down 0-13, Casement Park

London boss Eamonn Phelan hailed his side’s resilience after they booked their place in the Christy Ring Cup final.

Twice Down came from behind to grind out a draw with London in this exciting and closely fought Christy Ring Cup semi-final at Páirc Esler on Saturday.

Down recovered from a nightmare start to beat Meath and qualify for the Christy Ring Cup semi-finals.

Goals in the first and third quarters boosted Wicklow to a survival success over battling Down in the Allianz Hurling League Division 2A relegation play-off at Trim.

Kerry secured their place in Allianz Hurling League Division 2A after this victory at Fitzgerald Stadium yesterday.

IRISH women’s hockey captain Eimear Cregan is on the verge of a move from Cork Harlequins to Catholic Institute, it emerged yesterday.

IRELAND have secured a spot in the 2009 EuroHockey Nations Trophy final – and with it a guaranteed promotion back up to the Championship in 2011 – by defeating hosts Wales 1-0 yesterday.

GOALKEEPER Brian Corcoran embellished a growing reputation for saving vital penalty strokes as Bandon Grammar School claimed their sixth Munster Senior Schoolboys Cup in succession in dramatic fashion at Garryduff yesterday.

ASHTON SCHOOL go into today’s Munster Senior Schoolboys Cup final at Garryduff (2.30pm) against Bandon Grammar School hell-bent on returning the balance of power to Cork city after a six-year famine.

BANDON will be glad to see the back of Cork Harlequins after the Farmers’ Cross outfit handed them final heartbreak for the second time this season at Garryduff yesterday.

Ireland men’s coach Dave Passmore has named his 18-man squad for the EuroHockey Championships in Manchester this month, keeping faith with 15 players who featured at last year’s World Cup qualifiers.

CORK HARLEQUINS begin their fourth European adventure in Prague today when they represent Ireland in this year’s European Club Championships.

Ireland coach Dave Passmore has finalised the squad he will take to South Africa next month.

Uncapped players Louise Henderson, Zanya Dahl, Sinead Dooley and Katherine Elkins have all been named in Ireland’s squad which will begin preparations for the World Cup qualifying competition in Rome next April.

IRISH men’s hockey coach David Passmore has announced his squad for next month’s European Nations Trophy in Rome.

Annadale’s David Smyth has returned to Ireland’s squad for a tri-nations event against Canada and Italy after an 18-month absence.

Ireland's new men’s hockey coach Dave Passmore has included five uncapped players in his 28-man training squad which will travel to Spain later this month.

Ireland 5 Switzerland 2

Cookstown’s Andy Barbour is set to play in his first major competition after being selected in Ireland men’s squad for the European Nations Cup in September - just five months after making his international debut.

Ireland’s preparations for September’s European Nations Cup continue with a quadrangular tournament in Vienna next week.

Ireland’s bid for revenge over England for defeat in their three-match series a fortnight ago has seen them turn to former Great Britain international Soma Singh to become their assistant coach.

Cork Harlequins 4 Cork Church of Ireland 3