Old rivals Quins and Cork C of I set for IHL showdown
With three Munster sides qualifying for this season’s competition – C of I emerged from the wildcard playoffs after Quins and UCC took the automatic spots – two of them were always going to be drawn together.
Current form suggests Quins should continue to have the indian sign over their rivals, who they defeated twice last season en route to a 14th straight Munster title. They have recruited well and come into this game in ruthless goalscoring form; Karen Bateman alone has bagged five in her last two outings.
C of I are licking their wounds following a 5-0 thrashing at the hands of UCD in the Irish Senior Cup, but will be significantly strengthened if Sue O’Connor, Sinead Connery and Julie O’Sullivan – who all missed that defeat – are back in harness.
Elsewhere in Pool A, Ards make their IHL bow with an intimidating trip to Park Avenue to face down Leinster champions Railway Union, for whom Irish international playmaker Emma Smyth will make her first appearance this season. Pembroke Wanderers will not relish having to head north to the Joey Dunlop Centre, where Ballymoney rarely drop points on home turf.
In Pool B, UCC will be taking a step into the unknown as they welcome Randalstown to The Mardyke. College have racked up 11 goals in two league victories so far despite playing nowhere near their potential, and look to have weathered the losses of Aine Connery and Hollie Moffett, with Miriam Crowley and Olivia Roycroft impressing in their absence.
Randalstown hardly set the world alight in last season’s competition, but are something of an unknown quantity, which will make them dangerous opponents. Former international Katherine Elkin and Ireland U18 starlet Vanessa Surgeoner are their key players.
Sunday sees three heavyweights enter the fray, as defending champions Loreto host IHL debutants Old Alex, while old rivals Hermes and Pegasus renew acquaintances at Belfield.
The latter duo dominated the national scene for a decade in the pre-IHL days, sharing 10 club championships titles, before Loreto broke the trend last year.
UCD’s dismantling of Pegs in last year’s Irish Senior Cup final has shattered the air of invincibility that once had some teams beaten before a ball was hit. Nonetheless, the Belfast side will be determined to prove they are not a team on the wane, and will also ant to avenge last season’s 3-2 semi-final loss to the Dubliners.
With the men’s IHL not getting underway until December 5, there is the usual mixture of league and cup action around the provinces. It’s Peard Cup quarter-final time in Munster, where C of I’s visit to UCC will likely attract the most attention.
The champions were given a rigorous workout by Catholic Institute last weekend before labouring to a 2-0 win, and College will be determined to make life similarly difficult for them.
Institute welcome Quins B to Rosbrien, knowing a win is well within their capabilities. They are a far more organised, hard-working side under new coach Ollie O’Connor, but must begin taking their chances at short corner time.
The women’s Examiner Cup – a trophy reprised last season as a competition for non-IHL teams – also gets underway this weekend, with the novel inclusion of Connacht sides Galway and Greenfields. The former welcome Catholic Institute to Dangan, while the latter are at home to UL.
Bandon go to Ashton in search of a confidence-booster after losing their opening league games to UCC and Waterford, while the hosts will be seeking to build on last week’s morale-boosting victory at UL.
Meanwhile, Ireland senior men’s coach Paul Revington is sweating on the fitness of Joe Brennan ahead of next month’s World Cup qualifiers in Argentina. The Glenanne sweeper broke his thumb on EuroHockey League duty and could be sidelined for up to a month.
All fixtures Saturday unless stated
Men
Peard Cup quarter-finals: UCC vs Cork C of I (Mardyke, 2.30pm); Catholic Institute vs Cork Harlequins B (Rosbrien, 11am)
Leinster Div 1: Pembroke Wanderers vs Railway Union (Serpentine Avenue, 2pm); Clontarf vs Fingal (Mount Temple School, 2.15pm); Three Rock Rovers vs Monkstown (Grange Road, 3pm); Corinthian vs Glenanne (Whitechurch, 2.30pm); YMCA vs UCD (Milltown, 2pm).
Munster Div 2: Sunday: Cork Harlequins C vs Limerick A (Harlequin Park, 12pm); UCC B vs Bandon B (Mardyke, 1pm)
Women
ESB Irish Hockey League Round 1: Pool A: Ballymoney vs Pembroke Wanderers (Joey Dunlop Centre, 1pm); Cork Harlequins vs Cork C of I (Harlequin Park, 2pm); Railway Union vs Ards (Park Avenue, 5pm).
Pool B: UCC vs Randalstown (The Mardyke, 12.30pm) Sunday: Hermes vs Pegasus (UCD, 1.45pm); Loreto bs Old Alex (Loreto Beaufort, 3.30pm).
Leinster Div 1: Bray vs Glenanne (Loreto Bray, 1pm); Corinthian vs Trinity (Whitechurch, 1pm)
Examiner Cup: Ashton vs Bandon (Ashton School, 2.30pm); Galway vs Catholic Institute (Dangan, 12pm); Greenfields vs UL (TBC)
Munster Div 2 Sunday: Catholic Institute vs UCC (Rosbrien, 12.30pm); Ashton vs Cork C of I (Ashton School, 3.30pm)
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