Minority sports crave that moment that propels them into the national sporting consciousness. Think Katie Taylor at London 2012 and the O’Donovans in Rio 2016. Hockey Ireland’s Phil Oakley swears that after Irish ’s exploits at the Cricket World Cup in 2007, he saw lads using hurleys to play cricket in Mayfield on Cork’s northside.

Megan Frazer has been included in Graham Shaw’s squad of 18 players for next month’s World Cup in London despite concerns over her fitness.

Cork Harlequins found national glory out of reach for the second season running as Loreto’s corner efficiency saw the Dubliners come from behind to land the EY Champions Trophy.

UCC missed out on possible promotion to the women’s EY Hockey League in frustrating fashion at the Mardyke as they ended the round-robin in third place.

While the EY Hockey Leagues could both be decided this weekend, the Munster focus will be on who can potentially join the elite division with UCC’s men and Catholic Institute’s women starting out their play-off journeys.

While there are plenty of miles still to travel, UCC’s away day in Limerick looks a potential decider for the students in women’s Munster Division One when they meet Catholic Institute at 1pm at Rosbrien on Saturday.

Cork Harlequins hope to have a winning finish to the first phase of a productive women’s EY Hockey League campaign this weekend.

Cork Harlequins are the last remaining unbeaten side in the women’s EY Hockey League as they swept to a 3-0 win over Pembroke Wanderers in Dublin. The result keeps them within a point of leaders UCD.

The Irish U21 women’s side had their status in the top tier of European competition assured thanks to an EHF executive board decision this week which keeps alive their hopes of playing in the 2020 Junior World Cup.

With the détente between the Irish Hockey Umpires Association and Hockey Ireland in place, the EY Hockey League will tip off this weekend after two weeks of cancellations.

Roisin Upton is hoping to make up for lost time with the Irish women’s team as they look to land a 2018 World Cup spot over the course of the next two weeks.

Women’s hockey international: Germany 3 ( Keibel, Huse, Schroder) - Ireland 1 (Russell)

Rebecca Barry is hoping there is more glory around the corner on her road less travelled, as she chases the rare distinction of consecutive Irish Senior Cups with different clubs.

Ireland’s women are on course to progress to the next phase of their 2018 World Cup qualification campaign as they make light work of their opponents at World League 2 in Malaysia.

Munster U18 coach Chris Blaney is leading calls for the boys interpros to be moved from its November slot after cold weather again played havoc with the tournament.

The second season of the EY Hockey League gets underway this weekend and 11 Olympians will feature, fresh from their Rio 2016 campaign.

Cork Church of Ireland will be keen to show they’re more than a one-man team as they look to stay top of the EY Hockey League with victory over Annadale at Garryduff on Sunday (2pm).

John Jermyn’s second successive hat-trick has Cork C of I mixing it with the big guns in the EY Hockey League after they scalped Glenanne 4-2 in Tallaght.

Two Limerick friends will be cast in the unfamiliar role of opponents as Cork Harlequins host Ulster Elks in the new-look EY Hockey League.

A Limerick hockey player admits she’s flabbergasted by the online frenzy surrounding a wonder goal she scored in America last weekend.

Irish hockey has waved goodbye to some of its brightest female prospects in recent weeks, as the trickle of talent heading to America turns into a flood.

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.

“Insta by the grace of God” is their club slogan, but Catholic Institute certainly haven’t needed any divine inspiration this season.

MEGAN FRAZER looks set to answer Ireland’s call once more after being named as America’s best university field hockey player.

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).

JEAN MCDONNELL has been handed the chance to prove her Irish international credentials after she was named in an 18-strong squad for next week’s FIH Champions Challenge I in Dublin.

ULSTER will begin their bid to continue their domination of the girls’ underage interprovincials at Alexandra College tomorrow, as the U16 and U18 showpieces get underway.

A BLEAK weekend for Munster hockey saw all five of its representatives soundly beaten during the opening round of the Irish Hockey League.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.