Johnny Buckley remembers the afternoon well, standing helplessly with a water bottle in his hand, as Crokes were torpedoed around the Mallow pitch.

Bandon are set to ask the Irish Hockey Association for an explanation of a controversial series of events in their 3-2 Irish Hockey Trophy final defeat to Clontarf on Saturday.

Bandon are seeking an unusual Irish cup double this weekend as they descend on Belfield for the women’s Irish Junior Cup and men’s Irish Hockey Trophy finals.

Ireland’s men can look forward to a summer Olympic qualification campaign after securing their place in June’s World League 3.

Cork Church of Ireland coach Eddie Kirwan says it gave him no joy to watch his side hand out a crushing 28-0 Munster Division One defeat to University of Limerick on Saturday.

Munster sides landed three national titles from a possible four over a memorable weekend at Belfield.

A sizeable proportion of the Munster hockey community is decamping to Belfield this weekend as four of the province’s teams go chasing Irish cup glory.

The Christmas and New Year break comes to an abrupt end for many of Munster hockey’s top stars with some vital leagues games down for decision tomorrow.

A proposed “tap-and-go” system which aims to rid the GAA of cynically slowing down of play has been backed by those who have experienced it in another code.

Former GAA President Christy Cooney is set to take over the management of his home club, Youghal, for the coming year.

The contrast in styles could hardly be more stark – which makes Sunday’s AIB Munster Club SFC final between Dr Crokes and Castlehaven one of the most eagerly anticipated in years.

Bandon are facing up to a potentially tough transitional period as the Munster senior hockey leagues get underway for the 2012/13 season this weekend.

Nemo Rangers 0-12 Ballincollig 1-7

IT’S imperative to put on record that there was barely a wind in Mallow yesterday.

IT’S a common fact city slickers and townies are envied and yet ridiculed breeds in the GAA.

IT’S been over a year since Paul Kerrigan last had a month free of football, be it action or collective training.

OH, Eddie Kirwan has to hand it to Eoin Brosnan. Almost got him, he did.

NEMO RANGERS manager Eddie Kirwan has warned that the club will look to the Munster Council to postpone Sunday’s provincial final against Dr Crokes until February if the game is called off for a second time.

SEÁN O’BRIEN doesn’t look the conventional full-forward, but the position hasn’t done any harm to his reputation.

NEMO Rangers forward Barry O’Driscoll has been ruled out of Sunday’s Munster club football final against Dr Crokes in the Gaelic Grounds (2pm).

THERE was never any doubt about favourites Nemo Rangers securing their place in the AIB Munster Club football final in Páirc Uí Rinn yesterday.

THERE IS a growing public perception that this season’s AIB Munster Club Football Championship is destined to climax in a Crokes v Nemo Rangers face-off, but both clubs still have some work to do before that glamour pairing becomes a reality.

WHEN a manager achieves senior championship glory in his first year in charge it is usually a noteworthy achievement.

OVER the past five years Eddie Kirwan had been an integral part of Ephie Fitzgerald’s coaching setup during Nemo Rangers golden run of success.

AMIDST the blizzard of colour and incessant din in last month’s All-Ireland semi-final, Paul Kerrigan kept calm.

STEPHEN SWEETNAM’S short corner prowess proved the difference as UCC recorded a valuable 2-1 Munster league win over Catholic Institute at Rosbrien on Saturday.

ANOTHER chapter in Irish hockey’s most enduring club rivalry will be written this weekend when Dublin powerhouses Pembroke Wanderers and Glenanne lock horns in round two of the men’s Irish Senior Cup at Serpentine Avenue (3pm).

THE future is as green and black as ever. Nemo Rangers’ senior side enjoyed another Munster club victory on Sunday at the Gaelic Grounds, but the next generation are already practicing those ‘is mór an onór dom’ speeches.