Hockey: Cork sides begin Division Two campaigns

Cork C of I travel to Rathgar in Pool 1, Cork Harlequins host Clontarf in Pool 2, while Bandon go to Portrane in Pool 3

Munster’s three-pronged bid to get a side back into the top tier of men’s club hockey begins in earnest with the start of EY Hockey League Division Two.

Cork C of I travel to Rathgar in Pool 1, Cork Harlequins host Clontarf in Pool 2, while Bandon go to Portrane in Pool 3 in a slightly unwieldy format thrown up by the Covid affected 2019/20 season.

It has left 11 clubs lining out across three round-robin groups — two groups of four, one with three teams — with the two group winners with the best records advancing to the promotion play-off semi-finals.

The other group winner and the three runners-up go into a quarter-final phase.

For C of I, their group looks a particularly tough one as they also face Ulster leaders Instoinans and Leinster’s leading side Railway Union.

Bandon have impressed in the first few months of the season, pushing C of I at every turn in Munster Division One and the cup competitions. In Portrane, they face one of the fastest rising clubs in the country, rising up from the bottom end of the Leinster leagues to the top four in the provincial competition.

Cork Harlequins, meanwhile, are in a three-team pool that features Clontarf and Kilkeel. Clontarf started this season slowly following the departures of David Lawless (Glenanne), Mark Duggan (Pembroke) and Kevin Mullins (travelling) but have been bolstered by the addition of Sam Grace.

On the women’s side, the format is simpler with two groups of five. UCC will put their credentials to the test with an away date at Trinity having been peerless on the Munster front to date with a 100% record. Cork C of I, meanwhile, have a huge task in Pool B, starting with high-flying Monkstown who feature Olympian Chloe Watkins as well as a number of other youth internationals.