University College, Cork won an emotional inter-varsity title on home turf at the Mardyke yesterday, ousting University of Ulster on penalty strokes after a tense 1-1 stalemate.

John Jermyn wrote himself into the history books in style as Ireland cruised through the opening round of the new FIH World League in Cardiff over the weekend.

Three Rock Rovers came to Cork with six Irish Hockey League debutants, a clutch of teenagers and little in the way of form — but still left Garryduff with a 2-0 victory that all but ends Church of Ireland’s qualification hopes.

Ireland’s Olympic dream was snatched from them in the cruellest fashion yesterday, as the tale of the tape gave Korea a contentious winner with just nine seconds to go to stun a packed Belfield into silence yesterday.

Ireland's men's hockey team are excited by the prospect of making history rather than being weighed down by its burden, according to coach Paul Revington as they face into one of the biggest games of their careers today.

It says a lot about where Ireland are and where they want to be that last night’s draw with world number six Korea at the Electric Ireland FIH Road to London Olympic qualifier at a sold-out Belfield was met with disappointment by coach and players alike.

Ireland 1 Korea 1

Ireland 12 Ukraine 0

After a spectacular 2011, Ireland’s men will hope they can continue the momentum and qualify for the Olympic Games for the first time.

BANBRIDGE Academy became just the third school to retain the All-Ireland Schoolboys crown in its 30-year history as Owen Magee grabbed a winner 14 minutes from time to deny Ulster rivals Cookstown in Garryduff yesterday.

THEY may have restored some Munster pride on the national stage, but Cork Church of Ireland and Cork Harlequins will nonetheless be wondering how they left two-goal leads slip in their 2-2 Irish Hockey League draws with Pembroke Wanderers and Glenanne respectively.

IRELAND continue to be European hockey’s great entertainers but ultimately saw their slim Olympic qualification hopes dashed by the Netherlands, who claimed a 7-4 victory in a topsy-turvy EuroHockey Nations Championship tie in Germany yesterday.

MIRIAM CROWLEY has been handed a chance to prove her international credentials at the highest level, after she was the bolter named in Gene Muller’s squad for the EuroHockey Nations Championships in Moenchengladbach, Germany later this month.

PAUL REVINGTON refuses to let his Ireland senior men’s side rest on their laurels despite watching them complete a remarkable underdog victory at the INSEP Five Nations in Paris yesterday.

IAN SLOAN gets another chance to continue his remarkable development into a top-class international hockey star after he was named in the Irish squad for next week’s INSEP Five Nations in Paris.

IRELAND’S U18 girls produced a superb backs-to-the-wall effort to keep Belgium at bay and secure a top four ranking at the Volvo EuroHockey U18 Championships in Utrecht yesterday.

KATIE FROELING has an early chance to make herself an adopted Irish hero as she lines out in green against her native Holland at the Volvo EuroHockey U18 Championships in Utrecht today (3.05pm Irish time).

THE feelgood factor for Irish hockey continued last night in Belfield as a second quarter blitz saw a sixth win in four days for the country’s senior teams as they beat China 4-2.

RÓISÍN UPTON’S whirlwind 12 months came to a fitting end at the Burlington Hotel on Saturday night, as she was named U18 Female Player of the Year at the sixth annual ESB Electric Ireland Irish Hockey Awards.

MONKSTOWN’S wait for a men’s Irish Senior Cup title will stretch into a 98th year after they were beaten 4-3 by Cookstown in a stunning final at Belfield yesterday.

ALL five of Munster’s Irish Hockey League representatives need to collect points this weekend, if they are to harbour realistic semi-final ambitions.

IRELAND’S U-18 girls will be keen for success in other arenas to rub off when they get their Four Nations campaign underway at Garryduff in Cork tomorrow (6pm).