Bandon bid to turn up the heat on College

BANDON will feel they owe UCC one for last season’s Munster Senior Cup final defeat as the students visit west Cork for a potential banana skin league fixture tomorrow (12pm, Bandon Grammar School).

College won 3-1 in a novel final last March, and are gearing up for another tilt at the Munster women’s league title following a 7-1 rout of Ashton in their opening fixture last weekend.

But Bandon derailed Cork C of I’s title hopes last term, and knocked Cork Harlequins out of the cup – and won’t want to get their season off to a losing start on home turf.

All eyes will be on the trio of Olivia Roycroft, Kate Murphy and Nikki Kingston, who defected to College from Bandon during the summer.

Quins’ title defence begins at home to new girls Waterford, who went down 4-0 to C of I last weekend.

The latter travel to UL, the students still smarting from a 6-0 licking at the hands of Catholic Institute, who themselves host Ashton.

Inter-club derbies are the order of the day in the men’s league, with Cork C of I and Quins’ respective A teams expected to record comfortable wins over their own second string.

In Leinster, Adam Pritchard could make his debut for Pembroke after signing from C of I in midweek, as the national kingpins look to give newly-promoted Clontarf a rude awakening to life in Division One.

The marquee clashes are in the women’s league. Last season’s Irish Hockey League finalists Hermes and Loreto get reacquainted at Beaufort, while last season’s first-time champions Railway Union begin their title defence against a resurgent Old Alex.

None of the Irish women’s internationals are in action as they are on “active rest” until October 10 following a hectic international summer.

- Ireland’s men recovered some pride after Wednesday’s 6-1 thrashing at the hands of France in Paris, coming from behind to draw 1-1 with the same opposition yesterday. The hosts led via a 30th-minute penalty corner, but Michael Watt hit back for Paul Revington’s side after the break.