Hobbs: C of I can spring a shock

CORK Church of Ireland open their men’s Club Championships campaign this evening at Belfield against Lisnagarvey (hit-off 6 pm) in the belief that their underdog status could be a major plus for them.

Irish international David Hobbs believes his side actually have a much better chance of going well in this competition than many think possible, and he’s happy to go into the championships as outsiders.

“Most people don’t seem to have given us any chance at all and, quite frankly, that suits us fine. A competition of this nature is obviously going to be very tough with the best teams in the country taking part, but I think we actually have a good chance.

“We have managed to avoid the top two clubs in the country – Annadale and Cork Harlequins – and while Lisnagarvey and Glenanne will certainly be no pushovers in our pool, I think we can do a job against them.”

Hobbs, recently returned from World Cup action with Ireland in China, reckons if C of I can get any sort of result against ‘Garvey tonight it will set them up nicely for the rest of the competition.

“We play Glenanne on Saturday and again if we can get anything out of that we will play Corinthians – supposedly the weakest side in the pool – on Sunday and we should definitely be able to beat them. So, I’m happy people are not playing up our chances, especially as that means there will be no pressure on us.”

He admits that Church of Ireland have not had a lot to shout about this year in terms of results in major competitions, but feels they are not that far off the pace of the better teams.

They were beaten in the Munster Senior League, the Irish Senior Cup and the Munster Senior Cup by Harlequins, but Hobbs does not see this as a huge negative.

“Harlequins beat us last week in the Munster Senior Cup, but it was a very close game and they only won it in a penalty stroke shoot-out. I felt we were very close to their standard right through that game and I believe them to be the best team in the country right now, so that gives us something to think about.

“I think we have been underachieving all season and this competition gives us a big chance to do something,” he said.

“The thing is that no one gives us a chance and say that we’ll only be making up numbers, but that’s not the case. If we play our game we’re as good as the next team and I think that means we’ve a huge chance.

“Lisnagarvey will be a big game and I saw them playing in the Senior Cup Final when they lost 2-1 to Harlequins and they were very good. But I think this is more about us than it is about them.”

Hobbs says that several of the teams will be missing players because of exams tonight, but most will be back to full strength for the rest of the weekend action.

“We should be at full strength for most of it and I think we are as good as anyone else in that situation. Even so, I’ll still take the underdog tag.”

MEN’S CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP (all games at Belfield) Today: Glenanne v Corinthians, 2pm; Pembroke Wanderers v Annadale, 4pm; C of I v Lisnagarvey, 6pm; Harlequins v Banbridge, 8pm.