Emma Harrington and Shauna Fagan celebrate an Ashton goal against Clontarf last year; the duo will be looking to link up again this season. Picture: Deryck Vincent

ASHTON

Last Season: 5th
Coaches: George Treacy and Bernie Heffernan
Captain: Caroline McCarthy
Players In: Cliodhna Murphy (long term injury)
Players Out: Jessica Kelleher (travelling), Susan Peters (GK, UCC), Karyn Treacy, Jean Casey, Ciara Randles (GK, C of I)
First three games: C of I (a) Harlequins (h) UL (h)
IHT Rd 1: TBA

Fast becoming Munster hockey’s answer to Everton – and not just because they wear blue and have noisy neighbours – Ashton are a fine example of how to make the best of their resources.

George Treacy and Bernie Heffernan have always seen the bigger picture, even when the side couldn’t buy a win a couple of seasons ago. These days, they have one of the league’s most prolific netfinders in Caroline McCarthy, two of its brightest prospects in Kate Harvey and Shauna Fagan and an assist machine in Karen Stokes.

They also showed themselves to be cup specialists last term, reaching an Irish Trophy semi-final and an Examiner Cup final before winning the Division One Plate.

Unlucky to be edged out for fourth place by Bandon last season, they’ve laid down a marker in the summer friendly exchanges, beating the west Cork side 4-0 as well as comfortably seeing off C of I.

Should they take that form into the league campaign – with Emma Harrington and Mary Claire Cummins also showing early-season sharpness – Ashton will be a force to be reckoned with, complete with a style of play that’s easy on the eye.

Potential problems? They don’t possess the squad depth that Quins, Institute and UCC boast, and have seen two of their top goalkeepers move to pastures new in the past 12 months.

But if they can keep their front-liners fit and the shots backboard-bound, it shouldn’t be long before they pull the wool over the eyes of one of the top three.

Bandon's Sarah Sullivan and C of I's Sandra Hackett will have important roles to play for their respective sides. Picture: Ondine Roche

BANDON

Last Season: 4th
Coach: John Dennis (2nd season)
Captain: TBA
Players In: TBA
Players Out: Sarah Gray (Trinity), Rachelle Nyhan (UL), Siobhan Sexton (UCC), Ali Kingston (travel)
First three league games: Catholic Institute (h); UL (h); Cork C of I (a)
IHT Rd 1: TBA

This year has all the hallmarks of a transition season for Bandon, despite the progress made last term in displacing C of I in the top four, staying in with a shout of the IHL wildcard playoffs until the league campaign’s final stanza.

Despite all moving to college sides,  three key departures – Sarah Gray, Rachelle Nyhan and Siobhan Sexton – rob the side of maturity and no little skill, though Ali Kingston’s loss is likely to be the most keenly felt.

That in turn provides gaps for younger players to fill; Vicky Burns, for example, had a fine breakthrough season last year and the Munster U18 will be keen to build on that this time around.

Hilary Chapple will again provide the dribbling magic to create space and opportunities up front for the likes of Sarah Sullivan to finish off, but it’s Ciara Harte and Amy Roycroft who remain the heartbeat of John Dennis’ side.

They will ensure west Cork remains a graveyard for those who arrive half-cocked or fail to take the Bandon threat seriously; nonetheless, they’ll be hard pushed to take points off last year’s top three on the road, and are likely to be fighting for fourth place again.

Roisin Upton and Rachel McSharry are sure to face off in midfield battles again when Institute meet Quins. Picture: Ivan O'Riordan

CATHOLIC INSTITUTE

Last Season: 1st
Coaches: Ger O’Carroll & Dave Passmore (3rd season as a combination)
Co Captains: Kym Daly & Christine O’Shea
Players In: Elaine Hall (Pembroke Wanderers), Ashling Fitzgerald (UL), Caoimhe Costigan (UL)
Players Out: Rebecca Barry (Richmond Spiders, USA), Claire Mulcahy (Pembroke Wanderers)
First three games: Bandon (a), UCC (h), Ashton (h).
ISC: Bye to Rd 2; IHL Rd 1: Pegasus (h)

Deserved champions and double winners last season, who were only denied a 100% league record by a lacklustre scoreless draw at Quins on the last day with the title already annexed.

Ger O’Carroll and Dave Passmore have not only nurtured through a special group of youngsters but also instilled a winning mentality at Rosbrien, although Elaine Bromell and Eimear Cregan’s know-how has been a huge influence on that score too.

Bromell’s old Pembroke Wanderers mucker Elaine Hall has now joined the party in Limerick – with Claire Mulcahy heading in the opposite direction – although Rebecca Barry’s departure for America is a significant loss.

Nonetheless, having a fully fit Katie Campbell available will be as good as a new signing for O’Carroll; the Munster U21 starlet missed most of last year with a cruciate ligament injury but should be back to her best and raring to go this term.

Having ended Quins’ 15-year dominance in Munster, Institute will hardly be complacent in their bid to retain their crown, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if making a splash in the IHL – having gone so close to semi-final qualification in their maiden season – was privately the main goal.

Cregan, Bromell and Naomi Carroll will continue to supply the bullets up front, while Róisín Upton has grown into a top-class midfield presence. Keely Cantrell, Rosie Pratt, Ali English and goalkeeper Ciara Ronan are the lesser-lauded heroes elsewhere in a side that has few weaknesses. Will deservedly start as favourites in every competition they enter domestically.

Amy Kate Trevor shows the UL defence a clean pair of heels last season. The Irish Youth Olympian has swapped Garryduff for the Mardyke and C of I for UCC. Picture: Ondine Roche

CORK CHURCH OF IRELAND

Last Season: 4th
Coach: Phil Smith (1st season)
Captain: TBA
Players In: Ciara Randles (GK, Ashton), Kate Burke (UCC), Lisa Treacy (UCC).
Players Out: Amy Kate Trevor (UCC), Nicola Kerr (UCC), Elisa Buckley (Quins), Edel Coyne (UCC), Julie Coyne (UCC), Mel Ryan (London), Holly Sweetnam (Dublin), Eimear Connery, Orla McCarthy (long term injury).

First three league games: Catholic Institute (h); UL (h); Cork C of I (a)
IHT Rd 1: TBA

Phil Smith replaces David Egner on the Garryduff sideline this year, and his first task will be to attempt to arrest a decline that has seen C of I go from title challengers to also-rans.

Much like their men’s side, this has seemingly had more to do with a slew of departures – Deirdre Casey, Sinead Connery and Mel Ryan, to name but a few -  than anything else. And this summer has been no different, with three of the brighter young performers last term – Amy Kate Trevor, Nicola Kerr and Elisa Buckley – jumping ship.

C of I’s production line is deservedly the envy of every other club in the province, but for one reason or another they have not repatriated many players post-university. That leaves them with an unbalanced age profile in a squad light on 20-25-year-olds, though the return of Kate Burke and Lisa Treacy should help alleviate this.

Smith is sure to build a side in his own image – ruthlessly competitive and committed – and the likes of Sandra Hackett, Amy Roberts and Grace Young are proven performers.

But the majority of the squad are still learning their trade, and while it is packed with potential – Alex O’Grady, Emma Dobson and Pamela Wolfe are among those evolving into fine players – they may struggle against the top sides again this term.

Quins' Yvonne O'Byrne and Dale Burkley crowd out UCC's Ali O'Connor last term. O'Byrne will skipper Quins this time around. Picture: Ondine Roche

CORK HARLEQUINS

Last Season: 2nd
Coach: Stephen Dale (2nd season)
Captain: Yvonne O’Byrne
Players In: Elaine Collins (UCD), Elisa Buckley (Cork C of I), Andrea Bickerdike (UCC), Erica Breen (UCC), Nicky Kingston (UCC), Hannah Cahill (Galway), Orla Walsh (London).
Players Out: Emily O’Leary (UCC), Edwina McGrath (Waterford)
First three games: UL (h), Ashton (a), UCC (a)
ISC Rd 1: UCD (h); IHL Rd 1: Loreto (a)

It’s a source of huge pride at Farmers Cross that Quins retained their top two status last term, given the huge upheaval that saw three of Ireland’s most decorated players of the past 20 years – Karen Bateman, Rachael Kohler and Eimear Cregan – depart the Harlequin Park scene.

Quins weren’t all that pretty to watch initially last term, but came to life in the second half of the season as Stephen Dale’s stewardship began to bear fruit, culminating in a successful raid of the Mardyke that ultimately sewed up second spot.

Three of the College girls vanquished that day – Munster Juniors trio Erica Breen, Andrea Bickerdike and Nicky Kingston – have pitched up at Harlequin Park to bolster the squad’s depth this term, with Emily O’Leary heading in the opposite direction while Edwina McGrath is Waterford-bound to study.

Elaine Collins brings plenty of know-how to the backline from her stint with UCD, though Dubliner Orla Walsh – a schoolmate of Quins mainstay Rachel McSharry – may need more time to adjust after a few years out of the game in London.

Elisa Buckley adds some Munster U18 quality to the front-line – where Hannah Cahill might also make hay – but Dale will be looking to teenagers Acacia Taylor and Leanne Mullins to shoulder more responsibility this term.

New captain Yvonne O’Byrne – still just 19, but now a senior member of the panel – will miss the opening exchanges after breaking a finger and a knuckle against Corinthians in pre-season, though Cliodhna Sargent will be a huge boon when available.

She is likely to miss the majority of the domestic campaign due to Irish CPP commitments, but Quins are learning how to survive without their totem. While they’ll face a renewed challenge from UCC and Ashton, they won’t be yielding any ground without a fight.

Kate Murphy makes a goal-line save for UCC; goalkeeper Zoe Cremin has headed for pastures new, however. Picture: Ivan O'Riordan

UCC

Last Season: 3rd
Coach: Paidi Hartnett (5th season)
Captain: TBA
Players In: Amy Kate Trevor (C of I), Nicola Kerr (C of I), Emily O’Leary (Quins), Emily Kenefick (Edinburgh), Edel Coyne (C of I), Siobhan Sexton (Bandon), Julie Coyne (C of I), Susan Peters (GK, Ashton)
Players Out: Miriam Crowley (Hermes), Eibhlín O’Donoghue (London), Vicky O’Sullivan (travel), Andrea Bickerdike (Quins), Nicky Kingston (Quins), Erica Breen (UCC), Zoe Cremin (GK, London), Kate Burke (C of I), Lisa Treacy (C of I).
First three games: Catholic Institute (a), UL (a), Ashton (h)
ISC Rd 1: Armagh (a); IHL Rd 1: Ballymoney (a)

The entry and exit doors have both been busy at the Mardyke this summer, with eight players coming in and nine leaving, although many of the side’s (relative) veterans have stayed put.

They include Ali O’Regan and Ali O’Connor, two top performers  be the side’s mainstays alongside Olivia Roycroft – who may again be deployed as a sweeper – and the returning Emily Kenefick.

Miriam Crowley’s departure to Dublin – she is taking a year out of her studies to centralise with the Irish team – robs Paidi Hartnett of international star quality but Amy Kate Trevor is a marquee addition, coming with Ireland U18 and Youth Olympic experience.

The majority of the new arrivals have recent representative experience, however, while Siobhan Sexton brings a near-decade of top-level experience to the side. The Coyne sisters know what it takes to win in another field, having recently annexed an Irish Senior Cup title with Douglas Golf Club.

So where does that leave a side who conspired to throw away second place last term, before making up for it by shocking Ards in the IHL wildcard playoffs? It’s hard to tell with so many changes, and the newbies will be thrown in at the deep end with a visit to champions Catholic Institute first up, not to mention long treks to Ulster to face Armagh and Ballymoney on successive Saturdays.

UCC’s ‘golden generation’ of a couple of seasons ago saw their time come and go without breaking Quins’ stranglehold, but such concerns are unlikely to worry Hartnett as he bids to put the building blocks in place this season to challenge for titles again in the coming years.

UL's short corner unit en route to frustrating C of I at Garryduff last season. Picture: Ondine Roche

UL

Last Season: 7th
Coach: George Blackwell (2nd season)
Captain: Steph Peters
Players In: Tara Whisker (Limerick), Rachelle Nyhan (Bandon), Laura Griffin (Waterford)
Players Out: Ashling Fitzgerald (Catholic Institute), Caoimhe Costigan (Catholic Institute), Doireann de Paor (Work commitments)
First three games: Quins (a), Bandon (a), Cork C of I (a)

Seemingly destined for the wooden spoon last year after a nightmare first half of the season – their failure to fulfil an away game at UCC saw them prevented from attending the intervarsities – UL got their act together under George Blackwell and were no pushovers come the campaign’s end.

Whether they possess the raw materials to build on that this term is open to question, although the retention of Laura Peters – who has taken up a teaching position in Villiers – is vital to a side who found goals hard to come by last time around.

Little sister Steph takes the captaincy reins and brings Munster U18 and Junior experience to the table; goalkeeper Elaine O’Flynn has also donned provincial red and will be a key component.

Rachelle Nyhan joins the Peters sisters as a Bandon exile in Limerick and could be a key performer on the defensive side of things, but fellow new additions Tara Whisker and Laura Griffin are as-yet unproven in Division One.

The fixtures Gods haven’t been kind to Blackwell’s girls either; they must hit the N20 to Cork for the first three weeks, meaning there’s a danger they could be cut adrift early on, although Bandon and C of I will be targeted for potential upsets.

Bandon's Mark Deane holds off Lisnagarvey's Timmy Cockram. The west Cork men must make retention of possession a priority this term. Picture: Adrian Boehm

BANDON

Last Season: 3rd
Coach: Stephen Jackson (1st season)
Captain: Ian Hosford
Players In: Melvin Beamish, Gavin Beamish
Players Out: Cathal Duggan (Catholic Institute)
First three league games: Catholic Institute (h); UCC (a); Quins B (a).
ISC Rd 1: UCD (h)

The only major change down west this year is on the sideline, where Stephen Jackson takes the reins full-time from Ger Burns, having deputised for him at times last term.

The former C of I coach will be keen to stamp his ideas on a Bandon side who have, at least, been spared the annual raid from the city clubs this summer, though that may have something to do with the shortage of top-quality players leaving feeder school Bandon Grammar this year.

Retaining Andrew Scannell is a bonus for them as he provides the main drag-flicking outlet, and will be a vital midfield cog if Bandon are to play the more patient game they crave.

Too often last term the west Cork men looked to find talisman Ali Smith directly, forcing the Ireland A man to drop deeper to receive, when he tends to work better in tandem with Graham Kingston in and around the 25.

Scott Sullivan and Ben Scott will be expected to shoulder more responsibility again this term but defence remains the greatest cause for concern, specifically the tendency to dump possession and present teams with turnover opportunities.

Bandon are often at their best in their tussles with UCC, and an early-season showdown at the Mardyke  – where they escaped with a draw last year via a scrambled last-ditch goal – in game two should set the tone for their season.

On the move: Adam O'Callaghan (left) has left C of I to join UCC but Simon Brickenden (right) returns to Institute after a spell with Quins. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

CATHOLIC INSTITUTE

Last Season: 8th
Coach: Harry Gleeson (1st season)
Captain: Ed Gleeson
Players In: Cathal Duggan (Bandon), Simon Brickenden (Cork Harlequins)
Players Out: TBA
First three league games: Bandon (a), Cork C of I (h), Quins B (h)
IHT Rd 1: TBA

Talk throughout the summer months centred on Institute’s apparent desire to drop to Division Two, but they are a side in a rock and a hard place – likely too good for the second tier, but struggling to stay competitive among the big boys.

Previously relied upon to give Bandon and the Quins/C of I second XIs a good going over at Rosbrien and engage in a serious tussle with UCC, Institute have fallen away since reaching a Munster Senior Cup final in 2010.

They have some tidy emerging young players in Colum O’Byrne and Riyad McCormack but they are light on Division One experience; that’s not an issue for much of the squad, though a few of their over-30s might have expected to have been able to move down the ranks by now.

It’s not all doom and gloom by any stretch, however. Persuading Munster Junior representative Cathal Duggan – in Limerick for college – to join up was a shrewd move. He dovetailed nicely with Institute talisman Eric Calendar in Munster red at the tail end of last season, and they could surprise a few defences this term.

Simon Brickenden returns from a short spell at Cork Harlequins to pull the strings in midfield and provide a drag-flick option, captain Ed Gleeson is also a slick operator and any club would be glad to have a goalkeeper of Tristan Murphy’s calibre and fearlessness.

Squad depth will be an issue but if Insta focus on the winnable games, it could be a more productive season than might have been imagined a few months ago.

John Jermyn and Andrew Daunt will play vital roles for a depleted C of I side this term as they seek to wrest the title back from Jason Black's Quins. Picture: Ondine Roche

CORK CHURCH OF IRELAND

Last Season: 2nd
Coach: David Hobbs (Player/coach, 1st season)
Captain: Billy Lynch
Players In: Shane O’Donnell (UCD)
Players Out: Stephen Parker (YMCA), Nick Burns (UCD), Adam O’Callaghan (UCC), Stuart O’Grady (UCC), Stephen Sweetnam (New Zealand).
First three league games: Quins B (h), Catholic Institute (a), C of I B (a)
IHL Rd 1: Pembroke Wanderers (a)

Such has been the exodus of top players from Garryduff in recent seasons, you could almost form a team of ex-pats who have all represented Ireland at some level.

This summer has been no different; Nick Burns’ venomous forward power is now servicing UCD, as he is the beneficiary of a substantial scholarship programme at Belfield, while Stephen Parker is also off to south Dublin to link up with YMCA and Stephen Sweetnam has headed to foreign shores.

A couple of young players with representative experience – Adam O’Callaghan and Stuart O’Grady – have gone across town to the Mardyke.

On the credit side, Shane O’Donnell – on work experience in Cork – can go some way to replacing Burns and Sweetnam as a corner option, while plugging the gaps left in defence by O’Callaghan and O’Grady.

John Jermyn’s availability is likely to be curtailed by Irish commitments as they enter the Olympic qualifer phase, but the player termed “world class” by Dutch coach Paul Van Ass is in superb form and will again look to dovetail with international colleague David Hobbs.

While the midfield remains as good as anyone else’s nationally, C of I still leak far too many goals and lack the forward firepower to do enough damage against meaner defences. Gary Wilkinson could help remedy that, however; he netted twice in a pre-season win over UCD and could, alongside Philip Sweetnam, cause some trouble with his pace.

Whether there’s enough quality throughout to wrest back the Munster title – let alone challenge in the IHL – remains to be proven, however.

Quins' Phil McLaughlin holds off UCC's Andy Gray last term, but his season was cut short by injury; he's back in harness at Farmers Cross for the new season. Picture: Ondine Roche

CORK HARLEQUINS

Last Season: 1st
Coach: Phil Oakley (2nd season)
Captain: Mark Black
Players In: John Sweetnam (Midleton College), Phil McLaughlin (long term injury)
Players Out: Darren Farrell (Monkstown), Simon Brickenden (Catholic Institute)
First three league games: C of I B (h), Quins B (a), UCC (h)
IHL Rd 1: Glenanne (h)

Written off for the past couple of seasons – with this journalist as guilty as anyone – Quins shut a fair few people up by stopping Cork C of I’s “drive for five” last term and taking the spoils in Munster.

Cynics will nonetheless point to the number of top-notch players who have headed for the Garryduff exit door in recent seasons, but that won’t have made it any less satisfying for an ultra-competitive Quins outfit.

A hallmark of their progress under Phil Oakley has seen a decreasing reliance on short corner goals, though David Eakins, John Hobbs and Dan Hobbs all provide menace at the set-piece.

They have a settled squad too – Darren Farrell’s departure for Dublin is regrettable but gives newbie John Sweetnam a chance to make his own mark – and Oakley has Quins playing an increasingly technical game based on patience and movement on and off the ball.

Whether it’s enough to see them make any mark in the IHL – where only sporadic victories have been engineered, albeit in often spectacular fashion – remains to be seen, but they rightly start as favourites in Munster.

UCC's Graham Catchpole evades two South Antrim tacklers during last season's Irish Trophy final. Neil Welch's side are gunning for glory in two national competitions this season. Picture: Adrian Boehm.

UCC

Last Season: 4th
Coach: Neil Welch (3rd season)
Captain: Andrew Gray
Players In: Adam O’Callaghan (C of I), Stuart O’Grady (C of I), David Doherty (Ashton School), Shrew Power (Midleton College), Shane Fleming
Players Out: David Gash (Dublin, club TBC), Emmett Long, Danny Mulligan, Mark Barry.
First three league games: C of I B (a), Bandon (h), Quins (a)
ISC Rd 1: Lisnagarvey (a)

That UCC are unrecognisable from three seasons ago – in terms of personnel and quality – is largely down to the success of the Neil Welch revolution.

College have played to their strengths under his tutelage, and while it hasn’t always been pretty – a game-plan based heavily on Andy Gray’s aerials and the pace and skills of Fionn O’Leary and Peter Catchpole – it has often been effective.

It was nearly rewarded with silverware as they were just edged out by South Antrim in the final of the Irish Trophy. That has produced the bonus of participation in two national competitions this year; they’ll be back for another crack at the Trophy, meaning the ISC trip to Ulster powerhouses Lisnagarvey is a shot to nothing.

But for all the advances, they’ve yet to put Bandon away in order to seek an IHL wildcard, nor have they eked out a result against either of the big two.

The trio of arrivals from C of I will boost their chances, as well as weakening a rival. Stuart O’Grady is the key signing here, as he adds an extra dimension in midfield alongside Graham Catchpole as well as potentially releasing Roger Gray into a more advanced role.

Shrew Power’s pace frightened the life out of Corinthians and Rathgar Chiefs in pre-season, and speed will be UCC’s main offensive weapon along with the twin drag-flicking threat of the Gray brothers.

On the to-do list? Eradicate the lapses in concentration that cost some soft goals last season, make up for last year’s intervarsities disappointment and bury the Bandon hoodoo once and for all. Far easier said than done, however.

Last Season: 6th
Coach: George Treacy and Bernie Heffernan
Captain: TBC
Players In: Elaine Redmond (GK, year out), Jess Kelleher (UL), Karen Stokes (year out)
Players Out: Barbara Casey (Bandon), Vanessa Sargent (GK, Cork Harlequins), Ciara O’Connell (UCC)
First three games: Belvedere (h), C of I (h), Catholic Institute (a)

Influential goalkeeper Vanessa Sargent has left Ashton for Quins. Picture: Ondine Roche

A much-improved showing last term saw Ashton win three and draw two of their games, to comfortably stay away from the drop zone, as their young stars began to mature.

Holding on to Emma Harrington gives them the bullets up front, while Munster U16 starlet Kate Harvey also continues to develop apace.

Whether they can build on that progress depends on how they handle a couple of important losses, none more so than inspirational netminder Vanessa Sargent, who has followed sister Cliodhna to Quins.

Elaine Redmond returns after a period out and should  fill that void, but with Barbara Casey heading west and Ciara O’Connell going to Mardkye for a second stint at college hockey – not to mention the surgery which keeps last year’s skipper Cliodhna Murphy sidelined for six months – there are gaps to fill.

With Bandon and UL strengthening their ranks this term, Ashton may have their work cut out to match last season’s total, but they won’t shy away from the challenge.

BANDON

Last Season: 5th
Coach: John Dennis
Captain: Ciara Harte
Players In: Hilary Chapple (Cork Harlequins), Sarah Gray (UCC), Barbara Casey (Bandon), Siobhan Sexton (from travel)
Players Out: Steph Peters (UL), Jane O’Higgins (Galway), Thelma Kingston, Alma Kingston
First three games: UCC (a), Cork Harlequins (a), UL (h)

Galway-bound Jane O'Higgins will be a big loss for Bandon. Picture: Andrew Kingston

More upheaval than usual in Bandon this summer, as Eddie Kirwan’s commitments to Nemo Rangers mean John Dennis steps into the coach’s chair.

On the playing front, the signing of Hilary Chapple from Quins is a superb one for Bandon, while Sarah Gray will be an extremely useful addition – particularly at corner time – as she nears completion of her recovery from a serious knee injury that has dogged her for two seasons.

The departure of Jane O’Higgins to Galway, to study in NUIG, unfortunately robs the side of their one player with true 3D skills, and places more responsibility on the shoulders of Chapple and fit-again forward Emma Peters.

Married life is clearly suiting Amy Roycroft, however; she looked in fine fettle in pre-season, and she, Ciara Harte and Ali Kingston will again ensure many teams will come unstuck in west Cork.

After last year’s fifth-place finish, they can reasonably target the top four this time around, with displacing C of I the likeliest target.

BELVEDERE
Last Season: 2nd in Div 2 League, promoted via playoff
Captain: Claire Crowley
Players In: Aoife Barrett, Kate O’Herlihy
Players Out: Julie Crowley (C of I)
First three games: Ashton (a), UCC (h) Cork Harlequins (a)

Belvedere are all smiles after their 7-1 win over UL in a promotion/relegation playoff. They will be hoping to build on that result this term. Picture cortesy Maria Twomey

Back where they believe they belong, Belvedere have a point to prove after suffering an accident of fate, in finishing bottom of Division One in 2009 – the one year a Division Two side was ready and willing to be promoted.

The fact that Bryan O’Donovan’s troops didn’t exactly sweep all before them in the second tier – won by Cork Harlequins – suggests a struggle lies ahead, though their 7-1 demolition of UL in the promotion/relegation playoff offers a conflicting view.

Consolidation will surely be the aim this time around, though they will take heart from the apparent levelling of the playing field via departures from the bigger clubs.

In that vein, a 2-1 victory over C of I in pre-season – in which they established a two-goal lead at half-time – was the perfect tonic to provide some early confidence.

Anne Marie Dooley is the main goal-getter for the Ballincollig outfit, who can also turn to the pace of Mount Mercy schoolgirl Alyson Moore on the flanks. Liz Clifford provides the bullets at corner time.

CATHOLIC INSTITUTE

Last Season: 3rd
Coach: Ger O’Carroll
Co-captains: Elaine Bromell and Kym Daly
Players In: Marese Mannion (Greenfields)
Players Out: none
First three games: Cork C of I (a), UL (h), Ashton (h)

Institute will be gunning for more silverware this term. Picture: Adrian Boehm

Always a difficult side to beat at home, Institute made the transformation to genuine title contenders last year, swatting aside the weaker sides with ease and leading the standings for the first half of the campaign.

Narrow losses to UCC and Quins eventually put paid to their challenge, but they did enough to secure third place, and also blitzed their way through the IHL playoffs and claimed the Irish Trophy – not a bad centenary year’s work, by any stretch.

The challenge now for Ger O’Carroll’s troops is handling the weight of expectation. The mass exoduses at the other top clubs makes them many people’s favourites on paper, and a look through their squad – unchanged aside from the valuable addition of Sheena Mannion’s sister, Marese, from Greenfields – shows why.

Ciara Ronan is arguably the best keeper in Munster these days, while Elaine Bromell leads a hard-working defence and is the chief threat at corner time.

Their trio of underage internationals – Rebecca Barry, Roisin Upton and Naomi Carroll – will have all benefited from their various exploits in the Singapore Olympics, U16 Euros in Spain and the U18 Home Nations win in Cork.

Kym Daly provides added creativity, while Irish captain Eimear Cregan and Rosie Pratt are both renowned goalscorers. Should they all amount to the sum of their parts, Munster had better watch out.

As for their maiden IHL adventure, they gave pool favourites Hermes a tough time in pre-season, and the Dubliners must visit Rosbrien in round two, with Loreto arriving in round three. Getting something from their trip to Belfast to face Pegasus – an unenviable task – would set them up nicely for a tilt at upsetting the older order.

CORK CHURCH OF IRELAND

Last Season: 4th
Coach: David Egner
Captain: Amy Roberts
Players In: Julie Crowley (Belvedere)
Players Out: Mel Ryan, Sinead Connery (Hermes), Jenifer Hales, Suzanne O’Connor, Eimear Connery, Cathy Kenefick (Canada), Jess Kingston
First three games: Catholic Institute (h), Ashton (a), UCC (h)

Amy Kate Trevor will be a central figure in a much-changed Cork C of I side. Picture: Ondine Roche

New coach David Egner has arguably inherited something of a poisoned chalice, such is the clear-out that has occurred at C of I in recent years, and again this summer.

Mel Ryan and Sinead Connery are the headline absentees, leaving Egner with one of the youngest squads in the league outside the two university sides – just five first-time players are over the age of 21.

Connery’s absence robs C of I of their primary source of go-forward possession – the Kilkenny girl’s surging runs are almost a Garryduff trademark at this stage.

The burden will now fall on Sandra Hackett, new captain Amy Roberts and Claire Hickey to point the youngsters in the right direction, although Amy Kate Trevor’s adventures with the Irish U17 and U18 sides this summer will have helped bring her on leaps and bounds.

Missing out on an IHL place may prove to be a blessing in disguise for C of I – the 2-1 pre-season defeat to Belvedere shows there is much work to be done – as they aim to consolidate. Third place is likely to be the upper limit of their capabilities.

CORK HARLEQUINS

Last Season: Joint 1st (won title via playoff)
Coach: John Moloney
Captain: Cliodhna Sargent
Players In: Vanessa Sargent (GK, Ashton)
Players Out: Sinead McCarthy (Hermes), Karen Bateman (retired), Rachael Kohler (retired), Cliona O’Connor, Hilary Chapple (Bandon), Jane Chapple, Amy O’Neill (GK)
First three games: UL (h), Bandon (h), UL (a)

Karen Bateman: has brought the curtain down on an illustrious career. Picture: Ondine Roche

If ever there was a season to write off the irrepressible Quins, this must surely be it.

The heart has been ripped out of their side, and the sight of a Quins team without Karen Bateman and Rachael Kohler, who have drawn a line under their remarkable careers, is almost unthinkable.

But they can seek comfort in a couple of areas. Firstly, the majority of their rivals – with the exception of Institute – have suffered similarly traumatic losses, and Quins have retained three of the league’s best performers in Cliodhna Sargent, Yvonne O’Byrne and Rachel McSharry.

Furthermore, they are best equipped to cope with the losses in the short-term; their seconds won Division Two last term, though they may now also pay a price for the lack of youth development in recent years.

Whether the likes of Laura McSweeney, Dale Burkley and Kate Herbert can make the step up to Division One will be one of the many litmus tests for new coach John Moloney; another is coaxing more mature performances from starlets Leanne Mullins and Acacia Taylor.

Quins will have a say in the destination of the title, one way or another – but whether they’ll be relegated to the bridesmaid position is the key question.

However, experience of the winning habit – not to mention the mental toughness acquired from two title playoffs in as many years – can’t be bought; annexing a 16th straight league crown, against the odds, would surely be the sweetest of the lot.

In the IHL, Quins find themselves in the easier pool on paper, but the lack of experience in the new-look sit could count against them.

Holders Railway Union will be runaway favourites to top it, and Quins must go to Park Avenue in round one before trekking to Ards for a very tricky second tie. Still being in contention at this stage, ahead of three home games, will be crucial to their hopes of securing a third successive semi-final spot.

UCC

Last Season: Joint 1st (lost title on playoff)
Coaches: Paidi Hartnett and Sinead Luttrell
Captain: TBC
Players In: Emma White (GK, C of I), Aine Curran (Kilkenny), Ciara O’Connell (UCC)
Players Out: Audrey O’Flynn (Hermes), Julia O’Halloran (Railway Union), Sarah Gray (Bandon), Rosie Shanahan (Galway), Karen Olden (GK, break from hockey)
First three games: Bandon (h), Belvedere (a), C of I (a)

Recently-capped Miriam Crowley will spearhead UCC's challenge this term. Picture: Adrian Boehm

College must be kicking themselves – three seasons of putting Cork Harlequins to the pin of their collars, only to see the mainstays of their own side depart at the same time as the Quins ones.

The Irish women’s centralisation programme has taken key performers Audrey O’Flynn and Julia O’Halloran to Dublin, although both were at the end of their time in university anyway.

Elsewhere, Karen Olden has hung up her pads for now as study commitments take hold – and worryingly, her direct replacement, new signing Emma White, is currently out with a broken wrist – Munster U21 skipper Rosie Shanahan is Galway-bound after switching courses and long-time club captain Sarah Gray has headed west to Bandon.

It’s not a vintage year for quality players coming out of secondary school, meaning natural replacements are thin on the ground, while crucially, Denis Pritchard’s commitments to the Irish team will increase due to centralisation, presumably restricting his involvement with UCC.

That’s not to say College are suddenly blitzed off the map; Irish CPP panel member Miriam Crowley, plus Ali O’Regan, Orla Crowley, Ali O’Connor, Eibhlín O’Donoghue and Olivia Roycroft are players anyone would want in their team, and they should still be challenging at the business end.

Ensuring they are there or thereabouts in their title quest again this term will depend mainly on avoiding their perennial slow start, and finding their scoring touch from play in the big games; too often they were reliant on O’Flynn’s drag-flick last term.

In the IHL, there is unfortunately little to suggest they can close the gap on three clubs – Hermes, Loreto and Pegasus – who narrowly defeated them last season, although being back on their home patch should help matters after last season’s flood-forced defection to Garryduff.

UL

Last Season: 8th
Coach: George Blackwell
Captain: Laura Peters
Players In: Laura Peters (returning from travel), Steph Peters (Bandon)
Players Out: Jen O’Loughlin, Ciara Danaher (Limerick), Fenagh Smith (Limerick), Jess Kelleher (Ashton), Lorraine McGowan (Limerick), Toni Rossiter (Limerick), Sandra Rossiter (Limerick)
First three games: Cork Harlequins (a), Catholic Institute (a), Cork Harlequins (h)

Jen O'Loughlin and Laura Peters will hope to rekindle their partnership up front for UL this term. Picture: Adrian Boehm

Having endured a torrid season last time out, with just a single league win late in the season and an average of more than five goals conceded per game, UL will hope the only way is up.

Their status as a university club has ensured they have kept their seat at the top table, despite enduring a humiliating 7-1 hammering at the hands of Belvedere in a promotion/relegation playoff.

George Blackwell arrives to replace Albert Valls as coach with a winning mentality, having guided Limerick B to a double last year, but with six players departing the two-team club, depth could be a serious issue.

The one area where the college side shouldn’t be short is in the firepower stakes. Laura Peters, who is back after an Erasmus year and captains the side, will now have younger sister Steph, a Munster U18 representative, in tow.

The difficulty is whether they have enough quality and organisation around them to help the opportunities arrive; it’s also hard to see them getting enough possession to trouble many teams.

Last Season: 3rd
Coach: Ger Burns
Captain: Ali Smith
Players In: None
Players Out: Brian Corcoran (GK, UCC), Fionn O’Leary (UCC), Edgar Rice
First three games: Catholic Institute (h), Cork C of I A (h), Cork C of I B (a)

Ali Smith: Ireland A international is Bandon's new captain. Picture: Adrian Boehm

Little has changed down west over the summer, meaning the priorities are unlikely to have altered either; third place and a fourth shot at IHL qualification is the minimum requirement.

Bandon are well used to the city clubs coming calling for their players when they finish school, and this summer has proven no different. Munster U21 pair Brian Corcoran and Fionn O’Leary are both UCC-bound, though star midfielder Andrew Scannell is staying put.

Neither Corcoran nor O’Leary were heavily involved last year; the former has Ian Hosford in his way between the sticks, while O’Leary’s absence was enforced for academic reasons.

But their departure has further eroded the depth of an already sparse first-team squad, while Edgar Rice’s departure for a season due to other commitments means Scannell and Rob Smith must step up to the drag-flicking plate.

The transitional period at feeder school Bandon Grammar, following a superb five-year period in the mid-2000s, isn’t good news either in terms of filling those gaps.

Ireland U16 midfielder Scott Sullivan is there likely to be asked to shoulder more responsibility this term, as will new skipper Ali Smith, who continues to form a dangerous, pacy partnership with Graham Kingston.

At the other end, Bandon must work out how to concede fewer corners to challenge the top two; Quins’ Dan Hobbs in particular got far too much change out of them in this facet last term.

CATHOLIC INSTITUTE

Last Season: 6th
Coach: John Geary
Captain: Tristan Murphy
Players In: Scott McKechnie (Trinity), Daryl Murphy
Players Out: Mark Carter (TBC), Albert Valls (Italy)
First three games: Bandon (a), Cork Harlequins B (a), Cork Harlequins B (h)

Institute goalkeeper Tristan Murphy retains the captaincy this term, while Ben Dobson has left C of I to play college hockey with UCD. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

Institute’s biggest strengths and weaknesses continue to revolve around their home at Rosbrien.

On their familiar Limerick patch, they are a match for anyone – just ask Bandon, who were routed 4-0 there last term – but having to travel more than any other Division One side inevitably takes its toll with some poorer performances on the road.

Two cup finals were reached in their centenary season, and they certainly gave their money’s worth in the Munster Senior Cup decider, scoring three fine goals against C of I.

The problem was the seven conceded at the other end, and the loss of centre-back Mark Carter won’t help on that score, nor the departure of Spanish dangerman Albert Valls at the other end.

It will be another few years yet before Institute bear the fruit of their tireless work at the lower levels; they saw off all comers in Division Three last term, and have entered a third side this season, a testament to the young talent emerging.

In the interim, the usual headline acts – Simon Brickenden, Eric Calendar and keeper Tristan Murphy – will be relied upon to steady the ship.

Two early games against Quins seconds will be targeted for the points to stay away from trouble, while anyone who dares come to Rosbrien thinking victory is guaranteed will get short shrift as always.

CORK CHURCH OF IRELAND A

Last Season: 1st
Coach: Andy Chambers
Captain: John Jermyn
Players In: Stephen Sweetnam (UCC), Philip Sweetnam (UCC)
Players Out: Andy Herbert (Melville City, Australia), Peter Catchpole (UCC), Karl Lynch (Pembroke Wanderers), Ben Dobson (UCD), Stephen Parker (Australia)
First three games: Cork C of I B (h), Bandon (a), Cork Harlequins B (h)

John Jermyn (left) is the new skipper of Cork C of I, but Andy Herbert (right) has departed for Australia. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

Despite another summer of upheaval on both the playing and coaching fronts, the word from Garryduff is that expectations have not been revised downwards.

Andy Chambers steps into the hotseat vacated by Stephen Jackson on the sideline, and he must contend with a further erosion of the Munster treble-winners’ squad, with five players – the majority internationals at either senior or underage level – headed to pastures new.

The upside is that only Peter Catchpole has moved to a Munster rival, so a number of other college-eligible players have stayed put, in the hope of staking claims for the places left by those who have departed out of geographical necessity.

Chambers has a number of challenges on his hands. He must re-motivate a side frustrated by punching below their weight at national level in recent years, as alluded to by departed Irish international Andy Herbert.

He must also bring a very young defence up to speed quickly – Karl Burns’ work constraints notwithstanding – and reduce the reliance on John Jermyn’s short corner abilities, though the news that Jonny Bruton is YMCA-bound after his Australian adventure doesn’t help in that regard.

Nonetheless, the stated aim is retaining the Munster league and cup, while also improving in the IHL, where a club source admitted they have not been up to scratch in since the competition began in 2008.

C of I’s presence as Munster’s top seeds has done them few favours. They are in Pool B with the two best sides in Ireland on paper – Glenanne and last year’s finalists Lisnagarvey. Laying down a marker on day one at home to the latter will be crucial to their chances.

CORK CHURCH OF IRELAND B

Last Season: 6th
Coach: TBC
Captain: TBC
Players In: Andrew Whittaker (GK, Midleton)
Players Out: Malcolm Coombes (UCC), Rob Morris (Cork Harlequins)
First three games: Cork C of I A (a), Bandon (h), Cork Harlequins B (h)

Philip Sweetnam returns to C of I after a productive year with UCC. Picture: Andrew Kingston

Once again, much is uncertain with Garryduff’s second string, with coach and captain unconfirmed at the time of going to press.

The 2009 Irish Junior Cup winners were a shadow of their former selves last season, the spine of their side ripped out by departures and younger players moving up to first-team level.

On the debit side, Malcolm Coombes and Rob Morris are the latest to head for pastures new,while the likes of Stuart O’Grady and Adam O’Callaghan have progressed to the first team.

However, C of I B have pulled off a big coup in persuading Andrew Whittaker to end his 12-month sojourn in Midleton.

The talented goalkeeper returns knowing his place in the side is more secure, as due to the ongoing injury struggles of the luckless Mark Ruddle, Billy Lynch makes the number one spot in the first team his own.

While the returning Sweetnam pair of Philip and Stephen will have designs on a first-team place – possibly limiting their league involvement – both have improved significantly during their time with UCC and could be huge assets in the Irish Junior Cup.

Furthermore, a couple of Ireland U16s in Richard Lynch and Gary Wilkinson have also rolled off the club’s superb production line, and may be given their head in Division One this year.

CORK HARLEQUINS A

Last Season: 2nd
Coach: Phil Oakley
Captain: Mark Black
Players In: Philip McLaughlin (Canada)
Players Out: None
First three games: Cork Harlequins B (h), Catholic Institute (a) Cork C of I A (a)

Mark Black continues to be a key performer for Cork Harlequins, and will skipper the side this term. Picture: Adrian Boehm

Routinely written off as a spent force in the seasons since their 2006 Irish Senior Cup win, Cork Harlequins could be forgiven for thinking things look a little rosier in the garden in 2010.

While there’s no escaping the fact that the Black and Lombard brothers are another year older, their appetite for domestic hockey hasn’t waned yet. The big question is whether the arrival of Phil Oakley as coach will galvanise a side that still retains a tendency to be its own worst enemy when the tide turns against them.

The early signs are good, including a thumping pre-season win over YMCA, while the re-signing of  Philip McLaughlin gives them an old-but-new option up front – something which could be strengthened further by another as-yet unconfirmed big return.

If everything clicks, Quins may be able to start eyeing the top prize in Munster once more; however, they are still particularly vulnerable at the back to a side with pace, with Bandon and UCC in particular no doubt keen to test out that theory once more.

In the IHL, the mass exodus of Irish internationals from Pembroke looks set to make Pool A a far more open affair. Quins have only won once in two years in this competition, but with their final three pool games at home, could be a dark horse if they can remain in contention after the trips to Pembroke and Banbridge.

CORK HARLEQUINS B

Last Season: 7th
Coach: TBC
Captain: Paul Murray
Players In: Rob Morris (Cork C of I), Richard Barrett (UCC), Luke Daunt (Cork C of I)
Players Out: Emmet Long (UCC), Nathan Gokul (UCC)
First three games: Cork Harlequins A (a), Catholic Institute (h), Catholic Institute (a)

Mark Lombard (left) is a primary influence on Quins B. Picture: Adrian Boehm

Not a bad summer’s work for Quins seconds, who aren’t too badly on the debit side after their annual dealings with College, and have picked up two experienced heads from C of I.

Robbie Morris and Luke Daunt have both shipped up the road to add some fresh impetus, while Dickie Barrett returns to his home club after a few years years as a mainstay at UCC.

The lack of a coach thus far doesn’t bode well, but in skipper Paul Murray they have an able and organised operator, while the likes of Mark Lombard and Tom O’Callaghan won’t give an inch.

Just as Institute will be eyeing their early back-to-back clashes with intent, so will Quins B, who have been early-season party-poopers in the past; just ask College, who were reeled in here on day one last term.

However, a decent run in the Irish Junior Cup – and avoiding the other big guns in the early rounds this time – would arguably be more satisfying.

UCC

Last Season: 4th
Coach: Neil Welch
Captain: Andrew Gray
Players In: Peter Catchpole (C of I), Fionn O’Leary (Bandon), Malcolm Coombes (C of I), Brian Corcoran (GK, Bandon), Nathan Gokul (Cork Harlequins), Emmet Long (Cork Harlequins)
Players Out: David Mills (Australia), Stephen Sweetnam (C of I), Philip Sweetnam (C of I), Richard Barrett (Cork Harlequins)
First three games: Cork C of I A (a), Bandon (h), Cork Harlequins A (h)

Peter Catchpole is UCC's marquee signing this summer. Picture: Ondine Roche

Another busy summer of recruitment at the Mardyke, as Neil Welch enters his second year of attempting to turn College into a force in Munster.

Peter Catchpole is their marquee signing, as he joins elder brothers Graham and John in the side, while a trio of Munster U21 players have also been scooped up in Brian Corcoran, Malcolm Coombes and Fionn O’Leary.

The revolving door has robbed them of some depth, however; key striker and drag-flicker Stephen Sweetnam and namesake Philip have returned to C of I, Dickie Barrett hads back to Quins while David Mills’ work has taken him down under.

As a result, they once again look a little too light up front, although retaining a strong spine. Brothers Andy and Roger Gray have come on leaps and bounds in a red jersey, and will assume the drag-flicking responsibilities; the latter netted five of those in two pre-season games, including an eyebrow-raising 2-1 win over Bandon.

Learning the lessons of last season is a must if progress is to be made; hanging onto leads and minimising the concession of silly goals among them. College will need to step up a significant notch to truly trouble the top two, but third place – and, importantly, a shot at the IHL – is again a very realistic aim.

UCC and Bandon had contrasting fortunes last season - and the college outfit have snapped up three of the latter's best young players for this campaign. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

ASHTON

Last Season: 7th
Coach: George Treacy
Captain: Cliodhna Murphy
Players In: Ciara O’Connell, Emily Alice Daly (UCC)
Players Out: None
First three games: UCC (a), Catholic Institute (h), C of I (h)

It’s out with the old and in with the new on the Blackrock Road this term, as Ashton’s squad has undergone some serious surgery during the close season.

Karen Treacy and Yvonne Mangan are the few experienced heads left in a squad that will be very heavily reliant on youth, having seen a lot of their more experienced members decide to drop down the divisions. Ashton have one of the best underage setups in the province, but Division One will provide a serious baptism of fire for some of the new girls.

Former Munster U18 Emer Murphy and St Angelas’ centre forward Kate Harvey are the pick of the bunch, while Emma Harrington’s pace will once again cause defenders problems all year.

Of course, the biggest risk with putting faith in youth is the lack of wisdom and physicality that comes with it, and whether George Treacy can mesh the raw talent at his disposal together will surely prove their biggest conundrum.

Ashton have been treading water for the past few seasons, and were fortunate not to be relegated in 2008; they will need to be streetwise and target games to avoid a worse fate this time around, though hopes are high within the club that they can surprise a few people along the way.

Cork Harlequins new signings (l-r) Jane Bourke, Edwina McGrath, Sinead McCarthy, Lesley Ann Daunt, Laura McSweeney, Antonia McGrath and Acacia Taylor. Picture: Rachel McSharry

BANDON

Last Season: 5th
Coach: Eddie Kirwan
Captain: TBA
Players In: Emma Peters (UCC)
Players Out: Olivia Roycroft, Nikki Kingston, Kate Murphy (UCC)
First three games: Quins (TBC), UCC (h), Catholic Institute (a)

Like C of I and UCC, Bandon must figure out what to do next having lost a couple of their taliswomen. College were the beneficiaries of Kate Murphy, Nikki Kingston and Olivia Roycroft finishing secondary school, but Bandon are familiar with the trend; now they must think about replacing them.

The west Cork side had a productive year last term, shocking Quins en route to a novel Munster Senior Cup final match-up with UCC, in which they put up a brilliant fight before losing 3-1, a result that might have been oh so different had Thelma Kingston’s strike stood when they were already a goal up.

They were somewhat scrappier in the league, recording just four wins, but whether they can improve on that kind of form is debatable; they will once again have to promote youngsters into the squad, though Bandon Grammar’s double win last term bodes well in that regard.

Thelma Kingston and Ciara Harte will again ensure teams won’t find it easy to score against Bandon, while the mercurial Síle Johnson is a new-age dribbler in the mould of Áine Connery and almost impossible to defend against

Having Emma Peters, who returned from UCC in the middle of last season, back to full fitness will also help their forward options, but as with C of I and Ashton, much will depend on how well their young guns settle in.

Deirdre Casey (left) will be a huge loss for C of I, who have lost four other players this summer. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

CATHOLIC INSTITUTE

Last Season: 4th
Coach: Ger O’Carroll
Captain: Ali English
Players In: Elaine Bromell (Bray), Nikki Sterritt, Claire Mulcahy (UL)
Players Out: Jane Bourke (Quins)
First three games: UL (h), Ashton (a), Bandon (h)

There is plenty of cause for optimism in Institute’s corner of Limerick this season, as they look to build on an improved showing last term that saw them reach the finals of Irish Trophy and Examiner Cup.

Although they ended up empty-handed, Ger O’Carroll has helped the Rosbrien outfit develop a winning mentality in recent seasons, and they are becoming increasingly difficult to beat.

The return of the mercurial Elaine Bromell from Bray is great news for the club, while their underage internationals Rebecca Barry and Naomi Carroll are also continuing to develop nicely. Quins-bound Jane Bourke is a big loss, but Kym Daly is still around to cause havoc.

Nikki Sterritt and Claire Mulcahy are also useful additions, and will greatly improve the squad’s depth as they bid to build on last season’s fourth-placed finish under new skipper Alison English.

The key question for Institute is whether they can improve enough in both red zones to make a genuine challenge for a top three slot – they had the third worst defence in the league last term and were about 15 goals short of what the top teams were putting away at the other end.

Last season's Irish Trophy finalists Catholic Institute could be the season's surprise package. Picture: Adrian Boehm

CORK CHURCH OF IRELAND

Last Season: 3rd
Coach: Phil Oakley
Captain: TBA
Players In: Cathy Kenefick (Railway Union), Suzanne O’Connor (Old Alex)
Players Out: Michaela Mihailou (Australia), Deirdre Casey (travelling), Suzy Herbert (England), Jenny Kenefick (Canada), Laura McSweeney (Quins)
First three games: Waterford (h), UL (a), Ashton (a)

Having been usurped from their top two haven for the first time in years by UCC last term, C of I could be facing into another tough season, having lost a number of key players over the summer.

Deirdre Casey, Michaela Mihailou, Suzy Herbert and Jenny Kenefick have all headed for foreign pastures, concurrently robbing coach Phil Oakley of the spine of his side and bags of experience.

The departures are somewhat offset by the arrivals of former Leinster interpro stars Cathy Kenefick and Suzanne O’Connor, and the impending return of long-term injury victim Sandra Hackett. All three are classy operators, but Oakley is still likely to have to rely on young talent more than he’d like – Irish U16 Amy Kate Trevor is the pick of the bunch.

While an experimental side looked largely out of sorts in last weekend’s pre-season tournament, they are fortunate to be facing the league’s three weakest sides on paper first up, allowing them to build confidence ahead of their IHL campaign.

Third place and an IHL wildcard playoff slot are still likely to be the minimum requirements; but they will need to be less wasteful in front of goal to keep pace at the business end of the table.

Cork Harlequins' battles with UCC were an enduring feature of last season - it looks set to be a similar story this time around. PIcture: Eoin Tyrrell

CORK HARLEQUINS

Last Season: Joint 1st (won title via playoff)
Coach: Eddie Gash
Captain: Cliodhna Sargent/Rachel McSharry
Players In: Sinead McCarthy (Poynton, England), Jane Bourke (Catholic Institute), Lesley Ann Daunt (Belvedere), Edwina McGrath (Thurles), Antonia McGrath (Thurles), Laura McSweeney (C of I), Acacia Taylor (Kinsale)
Players Out: None
First three games: Waterford (h), Bandon (TBC), UCC (TBC)

Could this be the year Quins finally loosen their vice-like grip on the Munster league title? The trophy has been resident at Harlequin Park for 14 seasons now, but the combination of Father Time and a glut of new arrivals has shown some chinks in the champions’ armour.

UCC shattered Quins’ aura of invincibility by doing the double over them in the league last term, only for the latter’s big-game experience to shine through when it really mattered, winning the title playoff 3-2.

But international commitments are again likely to curtail the involvement of Eimear Cregan and Cliodhna Sargent, while the unavailability of Rachael Kohler, Cliona O’Connor, Jane Chapple and Jan Dillon for some or all of the campaign would hurt even the best of the squads.

As a result, new coach Eddie Gash has been the busiest in Munster in the recruitment stakes this summer, with seven new faces coming in. The pick of them is Sinead McCarthy, a talented centre-back and former skipper of top English side Poynton.

But stretching as far out of their catchment area as Thurles to sign players suggests there isn’t enough talent coming through within the club, outside of fine prospects Leanne Mullins, Emily O’Leary and Yvonne O’Byrne.

So the question remains – can the youngest Quins side in recent memory come out on top in the most competitive-looking women’s league in years? Alan Hansen wouldn’t think so, but it would be folly to write off the only team in the province that knows what it takes to win a league title.

Jen O'Loughlin will be the taliswoman in a UL side that has lost a number of key players. Picture: Adrian Boehm

UCC

Last Season: Joint 1st (lost title on playoff)
Coaches: Denis Pritchard & Paidi Hartnett
Captain: Audrey O’Flynn
Players In: Olivia Roycroft, Nikki Kingston, Kate Murphy (Bandon), Rosie Shanahan (Thurles)
Players Out: Hollie Moffett (England), Emma Peters (Bandon), Ciara O’Connell (Ashton)
First three games: Ashton (h), Bandon (a), Quins (TBC)

One sensed last season that it was now or never for UCC, but the combination of a surprisingly small turnover of players at The Mardyke compared to their title rivals Quins and C of I means they are well-placed to give it another crack this term.

Hollie Moffett’s departure and the limited availability of Áine Connery will certainly leave Irish international-sizedholes to fill, but otherwise the possible break-up of the most successful College team in over a decade hasn’t happened.

Fellow girls in green Julia O’Halloran and Audrey O’Flynn are still around to run the midfield and defence respectively, while Kate Murphy and Rosie Shanahan are excellent additions at the back.

But their biggest coup was persuading former Ireland U18 Olivia Roycroft to leave Bandon, and she will be tasked with reprising Moffett’s former playmaker role.

Question marks remain over the big-game temperament of a team frequently on the wrong side of umpires, though they will surely have learned from coming so close to a title last term. In addition, they also have an IHL campaign to contend with this time around.

However, with Fiona O’Connell and Vicky O’Sullivan maturing in front of goal – and one of the country’s best drag-flickers in O’Flynn available at set-piece time – they will surely have a big say in the destination of the title one way or another.

Irish international Hollie Moffett's stint with UCC has ended as she heads for foreign shores. Picture: Adrian Boehm

UL

Last Season: 6th
Coach: TBA
Captain: TBA
Players In: TBA
Players Out: Nikki Sterritt, Claire Mulcahy (Catholic Institute), Laura Peters (travel)
First three games: Catholic Institute (a), C of I (h), Waterford (h)

Uncertainty tends to surround university teams at this time of year, and while UCC can boast a relatively settled squad, there’s likely to be no such luck for UL.

The Limerick students have lost three of their most effective players during the close season, with Laura Peters off to Europe for the year, while Nikki Sterritt and Claire Mulcahy have moved on to Institute.

Sterritt’s solidarity and consistency in midfield, Mulcahy’s attacking instincts and Peters’ finishing prowess will be sorely missed. However, retaining Munster star Jen O’Loughlin will be a significant relief in terms of their offensive ambitions, given they found the net just 14 times last term.

Coming from 2-0 and 3-1 down away to Ashton to draw 3-3 last term suggests they are made of stronger stuff than the majority of college sides, and they also pushed UCC very close at the Mardyke.

But mental fortitude is one thing, quality on the pitch quite another; a two-team club is always likely to struggle for depth, and they look destined to be stuck at the wrong end of the table, although relegation is unlikely.

Quins will start as favourites for the title by virtue of their run of 14 consecutive wins. Picture: Deryck Vincent

WATERFORD

Last Season: 1st in Div 2
Coaches: Jonathan Fletcher, Cormac Johnson
Captain: Shirley Moore
Players In: Fiona O’Regan, Elaine Breen, Siobhan Murphy
Players Out: Kristen Farrell, Laura Cassin
First three games: C of I (a), Quins (a), UL (a)

The established top-level sides will also have a new foe this season, with Waterford gaining promotion at Belvedere’s expense. As a relatively unknown quantity, the Déise girls will have the element of surprise on their side.

South Easy U18 interpro Faye Loughnane is their great young hope and complements the side’s midfield pivot Siobhan Murphy, with Catherine Murphy, Paula Guiry and skipper Shirley Moore  providing the creativity from the wings.

Barbara Johnson, Jenny White and Karen Power proved to be a near-impregnable defence in Division Two last term, but they will surely be tested a lot more this term.

And therein lies the  conundrum for Waterford; it’s difficult to tell how big the jump is between divisions, given the lack of promtion and relegation in recent seasons.

The south easterners’ primary aim will certainly be survival, and they will target the home clashes with UL and Ashton for points. They also travelled well last season, a geographical necessity and a habit that they’ll be hoping to continue for the new season.

Quins' Sean Nicholson sees a shot saved last year. They will need to improve their chance conversion ration this time around. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

BANDON

Last Season: 4th
Coach: Ger Burns
Captain: Andrew Kingston
Players In: Paul O’Leary (C of I)
Players Out: Clinton Sweetnam (C of I)
First three games: Quins A (a), UCC (h), C of I B (a)

Bandon will bring their usual mix of starry-eyed youngsters and wise old heads to the table this season, and a club that relishes the underdogs tag will once again look to make a nuisance of themselves against bigger sides.

The loss of Clinton Sweetnam to C of I will be keenly felt however, while coach Ger Burns has been experimenting as he re-shapes his team, with Ali Smith spending some of pre-season in a wide role rather than up front.

Edgar Rice and Sam McElroy ensure Bandon won’t be beaten for physicality at the back, though they could be exposed by the league’s pacier forwards. Underage internationals Darren Sweetnam and Scott Sullivan are likely to be given further chances to stake their claims in midfield.

Third place and continued good performances in the cups are again the most realistic targets, and with UCC now in the mix for that IHL wildcard spot, this could prove to be an intriguing sub-plot.

Irish U16 star Darren Sweetnam will continue to develop at Bandon this term. Picture: Adrian Boehm

CATHOLIC INSTITUTE

Last Season: 5th
Coach: Ollie O’Connor
Captain: Tristan Murphy
Players In: Mark Carter (YMCA), Albert Valls (UCC)
Players Out: TBC
First three games: C of I B (h), C of I A (h), C of I B (a)

Little has changed at Rosbrien over the summer, bar the appointment of goalkeeper Tristan Murphy as the side’s new skipper, with Ollie O’Connor taking up the coaching reins.

Munster U21 midfielder Simon Brickenden and experienced campaigners Eric Calendar and Justin O’Sullivan will once again be the heartbeat of the side.

Institute always prove a handful for all but C of I and Quins on their home patch in Limerick, but away day blues are still a problem; witness the discrepancy between defeating UCC at home but conceding eight at the Mardyke last term.

Meeting C of I B twice in their opening three games provides them with games to target early on, while from a development point of view, the inclusion of Mark Ryan in the Munster U16 squad is welcome news.

The signing of Albert Valls from UCC is also a shrewd one – the Spaniard never hit the heights with College last term as he recovered from injury but has played at a high level in his homeland and brings plenty of flair and technical expertise.

Nonetheless, Institute still lack the depth of quality across their squad, and look set to be scrapping at the bottom end once more this term.

C of I celebrate last season's IJC success, but uncertainty surrounds their potential this term after the loss of a number of key players. Picture: Adrian Boehm

CORK CHURCH OF IRELAND A

Last Season: 1st
Coach: Stephen Jackson
Captain: David Hobbs
Players In: Clinton Sweetnam (Bandon)
Players Out: Jonathan Bruton (Fremantle Magpies), Andy Chambers (retired)
First three games: Quins B (h), C of I B (a), Catholic Institute (a)

Few clubs in Ireland can match C of I’s squad depth; in a recent pre-season friendly against Monkstown they began with over 300 Irish caps worth of experience on the bench alone, and almost a dozen of their players are involved in the international setup at once level or another.

They will be raging favourites to take their fourth consecutive Munster title, having gone through the last campaign undefeated, and the weakening of Three Rock and Banbridge will give them renewed hope at national level too.

In John Jermyn they have the country’s best drag-flicker, but they must solve their eternal conundrum of finding the net from play – a deficiency that can be masked at domestic level but has haunted them in the IHL and ISC.

With Jonathan Bruton still in Australia, the cupboard looks a bit bare up front, though immensely talented teenager Nick Burns will get his chance in the Irish international’s absence.

In any case, no side containing the likes of Jermyn, David Hobbs and Andy Herbert can be written off just yet, but whether they can gatecrash the Pembroke-Glenanne axis that dominated Irish hockey last term remains to be seen.

Nick Burns (left) has an opportunity to fill the void left by Jonathan Bruton at C of I this term. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

CORK CHURCH OF IRELAND B

Last Season: 3rd
Coach: TBA
Captain: Richie Dorman
Players In: Davy Herbert (UCC)
Players Out: Roger Gray, Andy Gray, Philip Sweetnam, Mark Welch, Conor Shemeld (UCC), Andy Whitaker (Midleton)
First three games: Catholic Institute (a), C of I A (h), Bandon (h)

Last season’s Irish Junior Cup success – their first since 1993 – is one that will live long in the memory at C of I, given the quality of opposition taken out en route before blitzing a shell-shocked Pembroke 5-1 in the decider.

However, C of I’s second string could find things a lot tougher this time around, following a summer of significant upheaval. Two mainstays of that side, Roger and Andy Gray, have jumped ship to UCC, who have also hoovered up some of the club’s younger talents.

The side could yet be further hit by retirements, and they are without a coach, following Dermot Judge’s departure, and a skipper going into the new season.

It is therefore difficult to predict how they will fare; they scrapped with their bogey team, Bandon for third place last term, but are now the outsiders in a three-way dogfight.

Nonetheless, the upshot is that the production line at C of I continues to churn out brilliant youngsters, many of whom may now get a chance to prove themselves in Division One sooner than expected.

Mark Barry is among a number of flair players in a new-look UCC side this term. Picture: Adrian Boehm

CORK HARLEQUINS A

Last Season: 2nd
Coach: Stephen Dale
Captain: Paul Lombard
Players In: Reinout Mensink (Leusden, Holland)
Players Out: None
First three games: Bandon (h), Quins B (a), Bandon (a)

Squad depth remains the primary headache for Stephen Dale’s side, a situation not helped by the loss of goalkeeper Chris Daunt (broken leg) and promising midfielder Colin Ross (knee) to long-term injuries. Dutch netminder Reinout Mensink will make his debut against Bandon this weekend in the former’s absence.

While little went right for Quins last term, they proved they can still pull off top-class results on their day – the Peard Cup win over C of I and the hard-earned draw in Cookstown were among the highlights.

However, Quins have regressed since their Irish Senior Cup win in 2006; the likes of Richie Gash and Wes Bateman are no longer involved, while too few young players – with the exceptions of Dan Hobbs and, latterly, Darren Farrell – have made an impact in their absence.

But like C of I, the presence of Paul Lombard and Mark and Jason Black provides guile and experience that can’t be bought, and if they can start to convert the short corner opportunities they are adept at carving out with more regularity, they can trouble anyone.

In Munster, they will once again need to better their rivals over their two league clashes to wrest the title back, while Pembroke aside, their IHL group looks the weaker of the two on paper, though last season’s winless campaign will certainly need to be bettered.

Jason Black's (left) experience will once again be key to Quins' hopes. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

CORK HARLEQUINS B

Last Season: 6th
Coach: TBA
Captain: Mark Lombard
Players In: Stephen Teap (returning), Ross Bateman (Belvedere), Hugh Kelly (Kilkenny), Alex Blanchard (France)
Players Out: David Mills, Daniel Mulligan (UCC)
First three games: C of I A (a), Quins A (h), UCC (h)

Something of a curate’s egg at the best of times, uncertainty again surrounds a Quins B outfit that are, at the time of writing, without a coaching staff in place.

They have nonetheless been one of the busier sides in the transfer market this summer; Ross Bateman and Hugh Kelly are both solid signings, while Stephen Teap returns after a two-year absence from the game, and looked in reasonable form in pre-season against Monkstown.

Less is known of French import Alex Blanchard, and in any case, the make-up of their squad is likely to be dictated by the injuries and lack of depth in the first team.

UCC provided sweet relief for Quins B last term in the league – their two wins and a serious chunk of their goals came against the students – but this time round the Farmers Cross side are likely to be battling with Institute to avoid the wooden spoon. Facing both big guns first up will hardly help them build confidence, either.

They will, however, be targeting a run in the IJC, having been unlucky to run into eventual winners C of I in the early rounds last year.

Edgar Rice (on ground) will be central to Bandon's defensive effort and also offers a real threat from corners. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

UCC

Last Season: 7th
Coach: Neil Welch
Captain: John Catchpole
Players In: Roger Gray, Andy Gray, Philip Sweetnam, Mark Welch, Conor Shemeld (Cork C of I), David Mills, Daniel Mulligan (Cork Harlequins), Graham Catchpole (Railway Union), Graham Jeffery (abroad).
Players Out: Davy Herbert (Cork C of I)
First three games: Bandon (a), Quins B (a), Catholic Institute (h)

College will arouse arguably the most curiosity of any side this season, largely thanks to the appointment of Neil Welch as coach and the arrival of a glut of players that followed.

Fitness, structure and work ethic are a hallmark of Welch’s teams, and he will hope to stamp those on a College side that were too often out of their depth and disinterested last term.

The side looks well-balanced on paper, with Graham Catchpole and John Catchpole providing the solidity at the back to allow Roger Gray, Andy Gray, David Mills and Philip Sweetnam to do some damage further up the field. With the Grays and Stephen Sweetnam at their disposal, College also possess a mean short corner unit.

The question is, of course, whether all that potential can be blended together in time. College teams are inevitably slow starters, though the fact they were one of the first teams in Munster to begin pre-season training suggests they mean business. Avoiding the big guns until the November 21 meeting with Quins will also help their cause.

Third place would represent a superb achievement; if they can better Bandon in their two clashes this side of Christmas, it will become a real possibility.

Women’s season preview to follow tomorrow

While the men have been cleaning up in second-tier competitions – winning three and losing the final of a fourth – Gene Muller says his women’s side will have different priorities in mind as they compete at the top level, namely retaining their A division status.

Automatic World Cup qualification is the carrot for the semi-finalists, but to achieve this Ireland would need to upset either Germany or Spain – third and seventh in the world respectively – in the pool stages.

Gene Muller will be hoping his Irish side can start finding the net more often at the forthcoming EuroHockey Nations Championships. Picture: Adrian Boehm

Their primary focus is likely to instead be to defeat Scotland, the lowest-ranked side in their pool, and do enough in the classification matches to avoid the demotion fate that befell the men in 2007.

Indeed, Muller has effectively set his stall out already by opting to take an extra defender – Cork Harlequins’ Cliodhna Sargent, who could win her 50th cap at the tournament – with Loreto playmaker Niamh Small losing out.

Converting chances and finding a sharper cutting edge continues to provide the biggest headache for Muller. However, there was a positive constant throughout the series against England, Spain and Germany earlier this year, as the Irish improved in the latter games once they had got the measure of their opponents, running them far closer. In addition, they beat the English 1-0 during a warm-up match earlier this week.

However, a baptism of fire awaits tomorrow at the Wagener Stadium against defending champions Germany (10.30am), before a match-up with the Scots on Sunday with the ever-improving Spain lying in wait on Tuesday.

The burden will once again fall on international veterans Eimear Cregan and Cathy McKean to supply the bullets up front, with the support cast featuring the likes of livewire UCD duo Roisin Flinn and Lisa Jacob, plus Ballymoney whizkid Megan Frazer.

Late bloomer Emma Smyth – who required stitches to a head injury this week but has been passed fit -  and the experienced Nikki Symmons will need to be at their creative best in midfield, while Bridget Cleland is the defensive lynchpin in the absence of the recently-retired Ciara O’Brien.

Despite the fact this is the most experienced Irish squad in memory in terms of cap averages, Muller believes his side will reach maturity in 2011.

Having failed to reach the final of the Champions Challenge II in Russia, where Ireland were the second-highest ranked outfit in the tournament, they will be determined to show they are still on track to peak in time to secure Olympic qualification.

Despite bringing the youngest squad to the tournament, with an average age of just 23, the players are confident they can confound expectations by gunning for a last four spot, with skipper Cregan and Sargent both waxing positive about Ireland’s chances.

Quins' Cliodhna Sargent (right) has been chosen ahead of Loreto's Niamh Small for Ireland's European mission. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

On the other side of the draw, world number ones the Netherlands should emerge comfortably from Pool A, with eighth-ranked England next in line. Azerbaijan are the dark horses, but Russia’s objectives will be merely to avoid the drop to the B division.

Elsewhere, Ireland’s two representatives in the coming season’s EuroHockey League have been handed tough draws for the pool stages, which will get underway in Barcelona on October 9.

Glenanne have drawn the shortest straw, having to play 2008 champions Uhlenhorst Hamburg and crack Polish outfit Grunwald Poznan within 24 hours, a scenario coach Arul Anthoni was desperately hoping to avoid for his side’s maiden EHL voyage.

Pembroke must tackle the might of Dutch giants Rotterdam in their pool, but will be glad to have Scottish champions Kelburne first up, knowing a win there will secure their passage to the last 16. They also have the benefit of a rest day between their games.

EuroHockey Nations Championship, Wagener Stadium, Amsterdam

Ireland squad (club/caps): L Barr (Ballymoney/13), E Clarke (Ulster Elks/76), B Cleland (Ballymoney/132), L Colvin (Loreto/17), E Cregan (Cork Harlequins/154, capt), R Flinn (UCD/59), M Frazer (Ballymoney/16), M Goode (Bray/57), E Gray (Hermes/11), M Harvey (Pegasus/18), L Jacob (UCD/54), S McCay (Ulster Elks/71), C McKean (Loreto/125), C Sargent (Cork Harlequins/46), A Speers (Pegasus/60), E Smyth (Railway Union/12), E Stewart (Armagh/77), N Symmons (Loreto/122)

Schedule (all Irish times)

Tomorrow: Ireland v Germany, 10.30am; Sunday: Ireland vs Scotland, 8.30am; Tuesday: Ireland vs Spain, 12.30pm; Thursday and Saturday: Classification matches/finals

While the likes of Leinster pivots Stephen Butler and Nikki Symmons, tournament top goalscorer John Jermyn and Ulster stalwart Bridget Cleland are fixtures in the national setups, Southern Fried takes a look at the fringe players and young pretenders who caught the eye during what is widely acknowledged as an unofficial Irish trial.

Jonny Bruton's (left) pace was a constant thorn in the sides of opposition defences. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

Jonny Bruton (Cork C of I and Munster)

While the talk beforehand was of the arsenal of forward talent at Leinster and Ulster’s disposal, Munster livewire Bruton emerged with more credit than most, despite not finding the net. While the likes of Eugene Magee and Timmy Cockram grabbed the headlines with spectacular goals, Bruton will have won serious kudos for his all-round performance and link play.

A player who speeds up when in possession rather than slowing down, Bruton’s searing pace gave Ulster in particular constant headaches, winning countless shorts and frees in the 25, and offers Revington a different option up front. Bruton’s work-rate at the head of the Munster press won’t have gone unnoticed either, though he did blot his copybook slightly by firing wide when in the clear against the northerners, a chance he’d normally dispatch in his sleep.

But with the other forward of the tournament, Mark Gleghorne, mulling over a move to GB, Bruton is surely top of the queue to be groomed as his long-term replacement, assuming Alan Sothern and Mitch Darling – who were both relatively subdued – are already part of the furniture at Belfield.

Emma Smyth (Railway Union and Leinster)

The clamour in Leinster for Smyth to get a chance to display her silky skills in a green shirt was finally rewarded last week with an Ireland A call-up, and the Railway star did her claims no harm in Cork last weekend.

Defenders in each of the other three provinces struggled to contain her close control and lightning changes of direction when cutting in from the left, and she struck up a decent understanding with Nikki Symmons in the Leinster midfield as well as getting a few assists to her credit.

There is still a school of thought that she doesn’t bring other players into the game enough, but Smyth’s innate talent surely marks her out as the natural successor to Jenny McDonough, who retired from the international scene earlier this year.

Ulster's Chris Cargo (right) impressed despite being played out of position. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

Chris Cargo (Reading and Ulster)

Forced to make frantic arrangements to get to Cork from England at short notice as late replacement for injury victim David Ames, Cargo grasped his opportunity with both hands despite being played out of position. A defender by trade, the former Bangor man was instead given the unenviable task of trying to shine up front alongside messrs Magee, Cockram and Gleghorne for Ulster.

Revington can’t help but have been impressed by how he took to the task like a duck to water, scoring in both games. His strike against Leinster was one any forward would have been proud of, as he wrong-footed Ronan Gormley and swerved inside before crashing an unstoppable reverse into the bottom corner.

Having spent four years at Bath Buccaneers, he is now, by his own admission, reaping the benefits of playing alongside some of the game’s luminaries at Reading, a side regularly at the business end England’s top tier and in the last 16 of the EuroHockey League. Amazingly, this was his first time in the Ulster senior squad, but don’t be surprised to see him hovering under Revington’s radar in the coming months.

Audrey O’Flynn (UCC and Munster)

O’Flynn’s dedication to self-improvement has paid serious dividends this season, culminating in a maiden appearance in green for the A side against Canada in January. Her long-range distribution is a notable feature of her game, but it is her value to her team at corner time at both ends of the pitch that helps her stand out from the crowd.

One of the few in the women’s game who can find any of the four corners with a drag-flick – as anyone who saw her find the top corner in the MSC final against Bandon on Tuesday will testify – O’Flynn unfortunately got little chance to show off this facet of her game, as her participation was curtailed by a foot injury.

Furthermore, her prowess as first runner – similar to C of I’s Adam Pritchard – at the defensive end was all the more noticeable when she was off the pitch. Ulster got little change out of their corner routines due to her pace off the line in the first half of Saturday’s clash, only to seem to have plenty of time to claim their winning goals from set-pieces when O’Flynn was stuck on the sidelines.

Clare Parkhill’s departure from the Irish scene has left a vacancy at the back as Gene Muller builds for the 2012 Olympics, but O’Flynn and the other defensive hopefuls will still have a job dislodging the vastly experienced pair of Ciara O’Brien and Bridget Cleland.

Ulster's Megan Frazer (left) had a quiet tournament, while Munster's Audrey O'Flynn (right) impressed despite her campaign being interrupted by injury. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

John Jackson (Loughborough and Ulster)

Jackson has followed the well-worn path of Ulster players heading across the water to the superb professional setup at Loughborough, and like team-mate Cargo, the advantages of playing in such a competitive league are plain to see, as every time Jackson returns to compete on home soil he seems to have come on in leaps and bounds.

A player who sometimes looked out of his depth at the Setanta Sports Trophy last summer, Jackson was coolness personified at the heart of Ulster’s defence here. Man-of-the-match by this writer’s reckoning in Ulster’s 3-1 defeat of Leinster, his distribution and organisation were top notch and he repeatedly closed the door on Sothern and Darling, even when those around him were struggling to keep their heads above water.

What Jackson lacks in stature he makes up for in controlled physicality, and pleasingly for Revington, there is still plenty of room for improvement in a player who continues to go from strength to strength.

Michelle Harvey (Pegasus and Ulster)

Former Victorians starlet Harvey takes the role of attacking full-back very seriously indeed, and she stood out in a young Ulster team that went unbeaten throughout the tournament despite playing nowhere near their potential.

With Lauren Barr and Megan Frazer having quiet tournaments, Harvey’s efficiency on the flanks marked her out as the best of the Ulster young guns.

Blessed with innate vision and awareness of space, Harvey is another who is handy at corner time and Garryduff has become something of a lucky charm for her – she scored there on her senior Ireland debut against France last July, and bagged two more against Connacht. Learning from the likes of Arlene Boyles and Jill Orbinson at Belfast powerhouses Pegasus can only further the youngster’s progression.

Cathy McKean (left) headed up a forward unit that claimed nine of Leinster's ten goals. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

The entire Leinster women’s forward line

A primary reason for Leinster taking the title back east was the quality and pace of the forwards available to Rudi Wortmann in comparison to the other provinces. Just when defenders felt they had the measure of, say, Anna O’Flanagan and Lisa Jacob, on came Cathy McKean and Róisín Flinn. And as if that wasn’t enough, Jean McDonnell and Nikki Keegan were chomping at the bit on the sideline.

Wortmann rotated his front pairings relentlessly, something that must have got inside the heads of the long-suffering defenders of Munster and Connacht, and eventually their legs too, as they were inevitably run ragged.

While the sextet were surprisingly short of potency in the scoreless draw with Ulster, the floodgates opened thereafter, with nine of Leinster’s ten goals – the majority coming from open play – being shared among the six-shooters.

Muller will have been impressed with their ability to repeatedly get to the endline to create tap-ins for each other, though he is still short and out-and-out goalscorer. McKean’s brace against Munster highlighted why she is the closest thing Ireland have to that, but the national side has been over-reliant on her in recent years.

Of the contenders, McDonnell has had the best season thus far, winning plenty of deserved plaudits for her strike-rate for Railway this term, and her all-round game is on the money. But there is a nagging feeling that she needs too many chances to score, and more ruthlessness is presumably required to transform her into an international-quality forward.

Aine Connery (UCC and Munster)

For all the various qualities of the Leinster forwards, none possess the x-factor that Connery brings to the proceedings. Although she hasn’t always been her usual self at UCC this term, Kilkenny-born Connery inevitably shines on the big stage – as her goalscoring exploits for Ireland A at the Junior Celtic Cup last summer are testament to.

In the same vein as Leinster’s Peter Blakeney, Connery is something of a maverick, a trait which excites and exasperates coaches in equal measure. But she was given free reign by Munster coach Paidi Hartnett, and was the weekend’s most conspicuous forward as a result.

Munster's Aine Connery (right, with sister Sinead) was the stand-out forward of the women's tournament. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

While critics can point to a relatively high ratio of missed chances, this ignores the fact that Connery has usually created such opportunities herself out of thin air.

The GAA skill set that has also served Eugene Magee and Eimear Cregan so well was consistently in evidence; her strike against Ulster, where she danced a bouncing ball past two defenders and the goalkeeper in the blink of an eye, was the stand-out individual strike of the women’s tournament.

Southern Fried lost count of the times she skinned defenders on the outside, and like McKean, she is one of the few forwards in the women’s game who is equally comfortable on her reverse as the strong side. She also brought her good form into UCC’s MSC win the following Tuesday, earning the player of the match accolade.

The caveat of whether she is Muller’s type of player continues to loom large, but surely Connery’s genius must be brought back to the table sooner rather than later to allow her to add to the 12 caps she has so far.

Louisa Healy (Loreto and Connacht)

While it is admittedly easy to stand out between the sticks when you have the weakest team of the tournament in front of you, Connacht netminder Healy’s performances were at times reminiscent of Shay Given’s Newcastle career, as she was single-handedly responsible for keeping the score down in all three games.

The Loreto shot-stopper’s most memorable moment was a mind-boggling triple save from Munster’s Aine Connery, Julia O’Halloran and Hollie Moffett on day one, but any video highlights package would have easily taken up a lunch hour, such was her form.

While Healy was the standout goalie of the tournament, none of the keepers did their chances any harm, though Leinster’s David Fitzgerald, a recent Ireland A call-up, and Ulster’s Ian Hughes have every right to be miffed, after failing to see any action over the weekend.

John Jackson was a rock at the heart of the Ulster defence. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

Joe Brennan (Glenanne and Leinster)

In a men’s tournament largely dominated by the established stars, Glenanne sweeper Joe Brennan gave a couple of glimpses of the form which has seen him integrated into the Irish setup this season.

A sickening knee injury suffered against Ulster – after he bore the full brunt of a Eugene Magee blast – brought his tournament to abrupt end, and Leinster subsequently went to pieces at the back in his absence, shipping the goals that cost them the title inside five minutes of his departure.

A clever long game, superb tactical awareness and a bullet push-out had been the hallmarks of Brennan’s involvement up until then, and while he isn’t as much of a flair player as the departed Iain Lewers, he will certainly not put the hearts across Irish fans at the back as much as the enigmatic HGC man did.

Do you agree with these selections? Which players impressed you at Garryduff last weekend? Have your say below!

The Having Trouble Carving the Turkey Award: The loss of Gash brothers Richie and Eddie has seriously blunted the Cork Harlequins attack this term, and their lack of firepower could wreck their ambitions on the national stage by February if the malaise isn’t remedied soon. They looked like they’d turned a corner when Dave Egner inspired them to a splendid 4-2 Peard Cup quarter-final win over C of I, with three of the goals coming from play, but have been uncharacteristically off-colour since. The Farmers Cross men were out of sorts in the 4-1 home IHL loss to Glenanne – although that can be partially attributed to the absence of Paul Lombard – and worryingly toothless in the 1-0 Peard Cup win over Bandon, a game in which they wasted 12 short corners and countless chances from play. Geert Fromme’s return to Holland next month will rob them of another forward outlet, and while Lombard and Egner, with superb support from Mark Black and Sean Nicholson, are still creating plenty of circle penetrations, it seems there is no-one there to finish them off like Richie Gash used to. They will be hoping things begin to click ahead of the tough opening ISC assignment at a resurgent Instonians, while their IHL ambitions rest solely on defeating Annadale at Harlequin Park on January 31.

John Jermyn has been scoring drag-flicks for fun since his return to Cork C of I. Picture: Adrian Boehm

The Could Drag A Lake On His Own Award: All those associated with Garryduff breathed a sigh of relief when John Jermyn decided to confine his Dutch sabbatical to a single season, and the seasoned Irish international has been roofing the drag-flicks for fun since his return. Just ask Bandon, who competed well against C of I earlier in the season but still lost 8-0, largely thanks to the five flicks Jermyn fizzed past Ian Hosford; he even added one from play for good measure. However, Jermyn’s short-corner prowess has also highlighted the primary chink in C of I’s armour – they appear to be too reliant on the set-piece as a goal source. While Jermyn netted two of his three chances against Quins in the Peard Cup, his side still lost 4-2 due to Quins’ ruthlessness from play that day. And Banbridge gave him just one chance – saved by Gareth Lennox -  in the IHL in November, a game the northerners won 2-1. C of I proved in the 6-2 defeat of Fingal they can find the net from play (and in style, too) when they are on song, but they must start to do it more often – the ISC tie at Antrim, despite involving a serious trek, should give them a decent chance to get their collective eye in. An honourable mention in this category must go to UCC’s Audrey O’Flynn, who has discovered a penchant for the spectacular this season and is one of the few creditable dead-eye drag-flickers in the women’s game in these parts.

The These Girls Need Therapy Award: Should the girls of UCC miss out on silverware – or even IHL qualification – again this season, it would be no surprise if they emigrated en masse to the Caribbean and commenced a ceremonial burning of C of I jerseys on a beach bonfire. The Rochestown side appear to have done a deal with the devil for their games against College, having recorded five single-goal wins over them in the past two seasons, a timeframe that has also seen the students shatter Quins’ eight-year invincibility. Last term, 2-1 and 1-0 victories for C of I ousted College from the automatic IHL places, while a Rebecca Sweetnam golden goal decided the Munster Senior Cup final in their favour. This time around, Grace Young’s late winner gave them a 1-0 win at the ‘Duff, while Mel Ryan repeated the last-ditch heroics at the Mardyke a week ago to win 3-2. The sides meet again in the last eight of the Munster Senior Cup on January 3, but College’s hopes of fielding a full-strength team for the first time against C of I have again been dashed as the game comes too soon for Sarah Gray, who is on the mend after a serious knee injury. College are long overdue a victory here, but C of I would take no greater pleasure than extending the hoodoo for another season.

C of I's Amy Roberts and Grace Young celebrate Mel Ryan's (7) goal against UCC. The Garryduff girls have defeated the students by a single goal in each of their past five meetings. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

The How The Hell Did That Happen Award: Things are tight at the bottom of the women’s Division One, with four teams locked on five points, a situation that is all the more worrying for those looking over their shoulders as promotion-chasing Waterford blaze a trail in Division Two. Ashton finished bottom of the pile last time around but staved off relegation as Catholic Institute’s B team topped the second tier. They are in trouble again this term, having played two games more than the three teams above them, but they looked set to give themselves breathing space at home to UL a few weeks ago until it all went Pete Tong. Emma Harrington’s brace had them 2-0 to the good, and when Orla O’Donovan cancelled out Laura Peters’ reply, they seemed to be coasting at 3-1. But Peters set up a nervy finale with her second with ten minutes to go, and the Bandon native fired home another with just 30 seconds to go to claim a share of the spoils for UL. While Ashton only dropped a point, they handed two vital ones to their rivals, a result that they may yet rue come the business end of the season.

The We Could Have Been Brilliant Award: The odds seemed stacked against Bandon in last Friday’s Peard Cup final as they attempted to become the first club outside the ‘big two’ to win the trophy in 23 years. Missing Clinton Sweetnam and Andrew Kingston, the westies also ceded advantage to Cork Harlequins beforehand by sportingly agreeing to play the tie at Harlequin Park. Things looked ominous when John Hobbs rattled the woodwork early on, but the goal-fest never materialised, and Bandon visibly grew in confidence the longer it remained scoreless. Ali Smith epitomised their efforts, blocking short corner attempts at one end and giving Jason Black and Hobbs an uncomfortable afternoon at the other with some fearless slalom dribbling. A nicely-worked move down the right with Darren Sweetnam eight minutes from time gave former Ireland U18 man Smith a one-on-one with Chris Daunt, but Rob Hobbs did just enough to put him off as he wound up his renowned reverse. Dan Hobbs did the necessary at the other end with two minutes to go, allowing Harlequin Park to breathe a collective sigh of relief, while Bandon were left to ponder what might have been.

UCC skipper Jean Long was one of four players injured in a bruising derby encounter with CIT at the intervarsities. Picture: Adrian Boehm

The We’re All Going Home In An Ambulance Award: Intervarsity competitions are traditionally a recipe for injury disaster, what with experienced Irish internationals coming up against ankle-hackers with two left feet who have been out on the piss until an hour before the game. Things weren’t quite that mismatched when the girls of CIT attempted to halt the UCC juggernaut, but the Mardyke ladies still came off worse in a physical derby encounter – Emma Peters and Orla Crowley suffered facial injuries, skipper Jean Long hobbled offf with a bruised shin while Vicky O’Sullivan had to be taken to hospital with a suspected shattered ankle which mercifully was only heavily bruised. To make things worse for College, they went on to lose the final to UCD, denying them a Chilean Cup three-in-a-row.

The Reffing Good Show Award: Clichéd and all as it has become, umpires in all sports take a serious amount of flak, and hockey is no exception, so Southern Fried wants to give credit where it’s due and doff its cap to the best umpiring performances we’ve seen this term. First up is Chris McConkey, who deserves immense credit for his handling of a potentially explosive Quins vs Glenanne clash in the IHL. All of the flashpoint incidents – which were inevitable given the bad blood between the teams – seemed to occur near his tramline, and he endured some serious abuse from players and spectators alike. But McConkey stuck to his guns and liberally applied common sense. Bar greens for David Lombard and Graham Shaw, he kept his cards in his pocket, knowing a flurry of yellows and reds would only have caused simmering tensions to boil over. Kudos also to Simon McAllister and Andrew Gray for their exemplary handling of the Peard Cup final – a superb display of communication and co-operation.

The ‘I Don’t Belieeeeeeeeeeve It’ Award: There’s been plenty of goals to sit back and admire in Munster this term. Andy Herbert’s diving effort from the edge of the circle for C of I against Fingal is up there, while the Peard Cup meeting of C of I and Quins brought two gems from the latter; Sean Nicholson supplied the finish after a superb dummied short corner drag from Dan Hobbs, while Dave Egner’s dinked effort finished off a flowing move later on. Southern Fried was also impressed by Nick Burns’ deflection on the turn in C of I’s IJC clash with Quins, and Aoife Duggan’s solo strike in the women’s competition for Ashton against Clontarf. But none have bettered Jennifer Lyttle’s wondergoal in Munster colours at the U18 interpros against Leinster. Her first touch was a beaut, taking her past Orla Fox on halfway, but the Villiers girl still had plenty to do. She looked to have gone too wide on the left and was running out of pitch, but acrobatically threw herself at the ball and rifled a diving reverse into the opposite top corner from a near-impossible angle. It was a once in a lifetime goal, but we’re sure to be hearing more from the Munster U18 skipper in the near future.

Munster's Jennifer Lyttle (centre) celebrates her wondergoal against Leinster with team-mate Olivia Roycroft. Picture: Rachel McSharry

The Anthony Foley Bitterness Award: Munster rugby talisman and all-round legend Foley likes to mention the ‘bitterness’ that motivates the province’s drive and determination, and anyone who watched the 2006 Heineken Cup semi-final thumping of Leinster (You didn’t? Where were you?!) knows that there’s few better feelings than watching our Dublin brethren being downed by the culchie jackeens from the south. Which is why Southern Fried was delighted to get that warm fuzzy feeling earlier this year thanks to Munster U18 boys; they may not have won the interpros outright, but they’ll be slow to forget their shock 2-1 win over a star-studded Leinster outfit. Proving that there’s no substitute for teamwork, our lads recovered from going behind to an Andrew Shekleton goal, with Stephen Swanton and Fionn O’Leary – the latter in the dying minutes, typical Munster – doing the damage, gladdening the souls of many in this part of the world in the process.

Got any more award suggestions? Leave a comment below!

The Munster Branch of the Irish Hockey Association (MBIHA) will tomorrow night examine a proposal to impose a mandatory rule that Division One fixtures must be played on Saturdays between 12.30pm and 3.30pm.

While such a recommendation already exists, the move to make it mandatory has arisen after a number of recent games were played at times perceived to be unsociable.

Most notable in this instance was the women’s top-of-the-table clash between UCC and Cork Harlequins last Tuesday night, which clashed with the Munster vs All Blacks rugby match.

The students inflicted a 3-0 defeat on the champions, their heaviest defeat in more than a decade, but only a handful witnessed it.

By comparison, College’s game against Bandon at a similar time the previous week attracted a significant crowd, dovetailing as it did with club training.

The branch is open to night-time and midweek games – more about that later – but the proposal has nonetheless ruffled the feathers of  top-level clubs, with a number lodging objections with the branch that will be considered this evening.

A number of players have contacted Southern Fried in recent days to outline their opposition to the proposal.

Many felt that as amateurs, morning and evening games often suited their work or college schedules better.

Others believed staging games at the same time may disperse crowds, and that such an imposition could also see more clashes with top-level sport, namely Premier League soccer and Heineken Cup/Test rugby matches.

The branch, however, maintains that both spectators and media are more likely to attend games fixed for Saturday afternoons, resulting in optimum exposure for the sport.

There is, however, room to maneouve according to the branch, who have included a caveat in the proposal. Division One fixtures can be played outside the prescribed times provided clubs seek and get written approval from the fixtures secretary at least 10 days prior to the fixture.

The proposal also indicates that matches being played in Irish competitions will take precedence.

What do you think? Should all Division One games be played between 12.30 and 3.30pm? Have your say below.