THE will-he-won’t he saga of Glenanne’s Stephen Butler’s participation in today’s cup semi-final against Harlequins ended yesterday when the player’s appeal against a one-match ban was lodged with the IHA.

THE quarter-finals of the ESB Irish Senior Women’s Cup this weekend sees all the top sides in the country in action, but both Cork Church of Ireland and Cork Harlequins facing extremely difficult away games.

TYPICAL Irish Senior Cup hockey: heartbreak on one hand, elation on the other. This time the heartbreak – for the second consecutive year – belonged to Cork Church of Ireland, while the elation fell upon Cork Harlequins.

AFTER a first half which promised so much, Cork Church of Ireland were overwhelmed 5-1 by Cork Harlequins in the Munster Senior League at Harlequins Park on Saturday.

COACH Dave Passmore is confident the Irish men’s hockey team are in peak condition for their attempt to qualify for September’s World Cup in Germany.

Cork Harlequins 2 Lisnagarvey 1

THE fact that Cork Harlequins have never won the men’s Irish senior cup will be in sharp focus this weekend as the club makes the long trip north to Kilkeel to face the unheralded but obviously well-organised local outfit in this year’s semi-final.

CORK HARLEQUINS secured an Irish Senior Men’s Cup semi-final away to Kilkeel next weekend as two beautifully-executed Richard Gash goals gave them a deserved victory over old rivals Cork Church of Ireland at Farmers Cross on Saturday.

CORK Church of Ireland coach Denis Pritchard welcomes four internationals back for Saturday’s Irish Senior Cup fourth round tie away to Belfast Harlequins.

CORK HARLEQUINS’ Irish international goalie Mary Goode will face her former team-mates at Pembroke Wanderers today when the two sides meet in the ESB Irish Senior Cup at Serpentine Avenue (hit-off 3pm).

The experienced Irish hockey trio of striker Gordon Elliott and goalkeepers Wes Bateman and Nigel Henderson have all announced their international retirements.

VENI, VIDI, VICI! How appropriate it was Rome where Ireland came, saw and conquered in the European Nations Championship on Saturday night.

Ireland 2 Austria 1

THE Irish men’s hockey team today stand on the brink of attaining their goal at the European Nations Hockey Championships, but dodgy floodlights at the Tre Fontane Stadium in Rome may frustrate their ambitions.

Ireland 7 Belarus 3

THE four top men’s hockey teams in the country over the past few years go head-to-head this weekend at Belfield in what is being widely predicted will be the toughest ever club championship finals.

THEY might be recognised as one of the best sides in Ireland at the moment, but Cork Harlequins have never won the Irish Senior Cup.

Ireland 1, Germany 4

IRELAND’S men’s hockey coach John Clarke watched France beat Russia on Monday and despite his own side’s 6-4 loss to Spain, he is quietly confident of being able to beat both Pool A rivals, with the Russians being first up on the agenda at Montjuich this afternoon.

Ireland 4, Spain 6

Ireland’s bid for revenge over England for defeat in their three-match series a fortnight ago has seen them turn to former Great Britain international Soma Singh to become their assistant coach.