Munster’s women’s leagues will get a major overhaul next season after radical structural changes to the top tier were approved.

Cork Harlequins claimed their 17th women’s Munster Senior League title in 19 seasons with a comprehensive 4-0 dismantling of Catholic Institute at Rosbrien yesterday.

A whirlwind 2014 for Nick Burns continues after he was yesterday named as Ireland U21 captain for this week’s Four Nations tournament at Mossley.

Three Rock Rovers’ EuroHockey Indoor Club Challenge I fate lies in the balance after a mixed opening day in Budapest.

Cork Church of Ireland’s miserable recent Irish Senior Cup record doesn’t look any better today as they recover from a shock 4-1 loss away to Kilkeel.

A raft of Munster men will get their first taste of senior international hockey when Ireland A take on England A next weekend in Dublin.

Teenage starlet Shane O’Donoghue is one of many Irish internationals facing a busy Easter weekend of hockey across two different countries, as the U21 interpros, EuroHockey League last 16 and an international series in Germany test the country’s top players.

DUTCH stars Teun de Nooijer and Taeke Taekema may miss out on the Olympics after they were dropped from the Netherlands national side.

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.

CORK HARLEQUINS were left cursing themselves for going to sleep at the start of extra-time, allowing Cork Church of Ireland to plunder a golden-goal victory in Saturday’s Munster Senior Cup semi-final at Farmer’s Cross.

ANNADALE’S stunning elimination of Glenanne in Tallaght on Saturday has resulted in one of the most open men’s Irish Senior Cups in recent years, as the competition heads for the quarter-final stage.

CORK Church of Ireland’s youngsters stepped up to the mark in style as they guided the Munster champions to a 4-1 win over Bandon 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.

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.

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).

A DISASTROUS eight-minute spell which saw them concede five times proved the undoing of Catholic Institute’s hopes of claiming a shock Munster Senior Cup final victory at Rosbrien yesterday.

THE focus turns to interprovincial action a little earlier in the season than usual this weekend as the U16 and U18 boys and girls pit their wits against each other at Grange Road and UCD.

MISMATCHES were the order of the opening day of the hockey season in Munster, with the province’s heavy hitters all recording big wins on Saturday.

HOPE springs eternal for some of the lesser lights in Munster hockey as the domestic season gets underway this weekend.

IRISH international captain Eimear Cregan made a goalscoring return to the colours of Cork Harlequins as they moved into pole position to close on a 14th consecutive women’s Munster Senior League title with a 3-2 win over Cork C of I at Garryduff on Saturday.