Cork Harlequins hope Rachael Kohler and Karen Bateman can continue to defy Father Time as they face a make-or-break Irish Hockey League clash with Ards at Farmer’s Cross tomorrow (1.30pm).

The first round of the Irish Hockey League quickly descended into a nightmare for the majority of Munster sides, with Catholic Institute’s 3-1 win over Greenfields the sole bright spot.

Cork Harlequins and Fermoy both made big moves at opposite ends of the table to set up a grandstand finale to the Munster women’s Division 1.

Something must give at the summit of Munster’s Division 1 over the coming weeks, beginning with Catholic Institute’s visit to Cork Harlequins tomorrow (3.30pm).

LIMERICK proved a happy hunting ground for Lurgan College once more as they claimed overall victory on a remarkable final day of the Kate Russell All-Ireland Schoolgirls Championships at Crescent College Comprehensive.

CATHOLIC INSTITUTE’S women laid down an early marker by thrashing Cork Church of Ireland 5-0 at Garryduff on Saturday, the opening day of the season in Munster.

EIMEAR CREGAN admits she has had plenty of lucky breaks along the way as she stands on the cusp of becoming the most capped Irish hockey player of all time.

EIMEAR CREGAN could overtake fellow Munster woman Rachael Kohler as the most capped Irishhockey player of all time this month.

RACHAEL KOHLER believes any psychological scars from bygone days will not be a factor when her Cork Harlequins side meet Belfast powerhouses Pegasus in the semi-finals of the Irish Hockey League at Grange Road tomorrow (12.30pm).

THERE was no fairytale ending for Catholic Institute’s Eimear Cregan as her former club Cork Harlequins gave a lesson in finishing to reclaim the women’s Munster Senior Cup at Rosbrien yesterday.

EACH of Munster’s three representatives in the women’s Irish Hockey League will be seeking capital gains this weekend as all face tricky trips to Dublin for the second round of the competition – where they will renew acquaintances with former team-mates.

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.

UCC finally carried off the silverware that their resurgence in recent years has warranted, denying Bandon another famous scalp in the women’s Munster Senior Cup final at Garryduff yesterday.

TREBLE-CHASING Railway Union will hope to put one foot in the semi-finals of the Irish Hockey League tomorrow as they take on Cork Church of Ireland at Garryduff (2pm).

NOT one for hanging around, is Kieran Dowd.

THE second legs of the All-Ireland Womens’ Club Hockey Championships take place over the weekend and Munster sides Harlequins and Bandon face difficult ties.

Five uncapped players have been named in the Irish women’s hockey squad to play three Test matches in the USA next month.

Ireland’s women won the battle of the Celts with a tight 1-0 victory over Wales in their opening game at the European Nations Cup in Barcelona.

Ireland women’s first full international since last winter’s World Cup ended in a 0-0 draw against Japan in Den Bosch, Holland, today.

Ireland lost 1-0 to France in the women's hockey World Cup qualifying tournament in Amiens.