C of I must match Corinthian spirit

Cork C of I’s visit to Corinthian will be the result most Munster observers are looking out for as the second round of the men’s Irish Senior Cup gets underway tomorrow, though the latest Pembroke-Glenanne showdown is the stand-out tie of the round.

Corinthian are the pace-setters in Leinster this term, and in South African international Darren Kimfley and Davy Carson, two exceptionally potent attacking weapons, while Brian Doherty is the dangerman at corner time.

Nonetheless, Munster’s standard bearers won’t have any fears of traveling to Whitechurch Park, even if they will be playing their third game in eight days, following a 4-3 IHL victory over Annadale and a 5-0 midweek rout of UCC.

Corinthian were content to hit Cork Harlequins on the break during the sides’ IHL meeting earlir this term, but pacy attacking is also a hallmark of Stephen Jackson’s C of I side.

Andy Herbert and John Jermyn will hope to be celebrating again come Saturday night - they visit Dublin to take on Corinthians. PIcture: Adrian Boehm

Alec Moffett’s increased prominence in recent weeks is good news for them in this regard; with international trio John Jermyn, David Hobbs and Andy Herbert also fighting fit, this is a real chance for the Rochestown club to make a statement.

Another chapter in Irish hockey’s most enduring club rivalry will be written when Dublin powerhouses Pembroke Wanderers and Glenanne lock horns at Serpentine Avenue.

Glens will be keen to smash the hoodoo that Pembroke appear to have over them on the national stage – Craig Fulton’s troops have knocked them out of the last four All-Ireland championships, including a penalty shuttles victory in the inaugural Irish Hockey League final back in May, and last season’s Irish Senior Cup.

Domestically, Pembroke also just about have the edge, winning five and drawing two of the sides’ last 11 meetings in Leinster competitions.

Pembroke will be boosted tomorrow by the presence Irish international goalkeeper David Harte, who made his comeback from injury during the midweek 4-0 win over YMCA.

The Cork native is often the difference in these encounters, and his duel with Glens sharpshooter and his international colleague Stephen Butler at short corner time will be worth the admission fee alone.

Elsewhere, Instonians have an instant chance to atone for their IHL defeat to Banbridge six days ago, while Cookstown’s visit to Three Rock Rovers should tell a lot about the recovery powers of two sides licking their wounds after being turned over on home turf in the IHL last Saturday.

Back in Munster, the increasingly intriguing race for the women’s Division One title could take yet another twist at Garryduff, where Cork C of I host Catholic Institute.

Ger O’Carroll’s Institute led the way for the first half of the campaign, but fell 2-1 at UCC -whose attacker Miriam Crowley is the sole Munster name in the recently-announced Ireland A squad -  earlier this month in their first league encounter with a side that finished above them last term.

Kym Daly and Catholic Institute will be hoping for a better result on their latest visit to Cork, after falling to UCC (above) a fortnight ago. Picture: Ondine Roche

The students – who will be targeting another three points at home to Waterford – have since leapfrogged them at the summit, and Institute know they must get at least two points from their visit to Cork to keep pace.

Third-placed C of I have ambitions of their own, however, and have recovered from a poor start to the campaign, twice drawing with College and harbouring a feeling they should have taken more from at least one of those clashes.

Champions Cork Harlequins were rocked last week by a shock 1-0 home defeat to Bandon, just their fourth league loss in over a decade.

Mid-table Ashton could therefore be the victims of a backlash; while George Treacy’s side have picked up some vital wins against the sides around them this term, they have also shipped a lot of goals to the league’s top sides.

Sunday sees a clash of the bottom two at Bandon Grammar, where University of Limerick cannot countenance the thought of defeat.

Marooned at the bottom of the pile with no wins or points from six outings, UL have struggled to field teams this term, and failure to pick up anything against Eddie Kirwan’s charges could leave them up to eight points adrift of the pack come Monday morning.

Meanwhile, the second strings of four Munster women’s clubs get a weekend in the spotlight as round three of the ESB Irish Junior Cup rolls around. Bandon, UCC and Catholic Institute all have home advantage against Randalstown, Armagh and Railway Union, while UL must hit the road to face down Galway.

Saturday

Men’s Irish Senior Cup Rd 2: Corinthian vs Cork C of I (Whitechurch Park, 1.30pm); Pembroke Wanderers vs Glenanne (Serpentine Avenue, 3pm); Raphoe vs Monkstown (Royal and Prior, 1pm); Mossley vs Annadale (The Glade, TBC); Three Rock Rovers vs Cookstown (Grange Road, 3pm); Fingal vs Lisnagarvey (ALSAA, 2.30pm); Kilkeel vs YMCA (McCauley Park, 1.30pm); Instonians vs Banbridge (Shaw’s Bridge, 1pm).

Men’s Div 1: Cork Harlequins B vs Bandon (Harlequin Park, 2.30pm).

Women’s Div 1: Cork C of I vs Catholic Institute (Garryduff, 12.30pm); Ashton vs Cork Harlequins (Ashton School, 12.30pm); UCC vs Waterford (Mount Mercy, 1.15pm).

ESB Irish Junior Cup Rd 3: Catholic Institute vs Railway Union (Rosbrien, 12.30pm); Galway vs UL (Dangan, 12pm); Old Alex vs Glenanne (Milltown, 1.30pm); Belfast Harlequins vs Loreto (Deramore Park, 2.30pm); Bandon vs Randalstown (Bandon Grammar, 1.30pm); Clontarf vs Greenisland (Mount Temple, 3.30pm).

Sunday

Women’s Div 1: Bandon vs UL (Bandon Grammar, 2pm).

ESB Irish Junior Cup Rd 3: UCC vs Armagh (Ashton School, 2pm).

Ireland A squad: Aisling Campion (Loreto), Miriam Crowley (UCC), Stephanie Quinn (Armagh), Chloe Watkins (Hermes), Nicola Evans (Railway Union), Kate McConnell (Pegasus), Brenda Flannery (Galway), Orla Fox (Pembroke Wanderers), Victoria Green (Clifton Ladies), Holly Jenkinson (Railway Union), Hannah Matthews (Loreto), Liz McInerney (UCD), Kate McKenna (Railway Union), Hannah McMillan (Queens University), Gillian Pinder (Hermes), Katherine Steenson (Armagh), Anna O’Flanagan (Hermes)