On an afternoon of high drama at the Mardyke, College finally beat C of I at the sixth attempt and in the cruellest of fashions after a dour and tense game had finished scoreless following extra-time.

Olden saved low to her right from Mel Ryan and Sinéad Connery, after the latter’s sister Áine had been fortunate to see her scuffed effort trickle past a wrong-footed Orla McCarthy.

Ali O’Connor, Julia O’Halloran and Audrey O’Flynn all fired their efforts home emphatically to spark an outpouring of emotion for College, who had lost last year’s MSC final to C of I on a golden goal.

UCC goalkeeper Karen Olden, seen here watching a shot from Catholic Institute's Rosie Pratt earlier this season, saved two penalty strokes against C of I. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

But it was an afternoon of mixed emotions for O’Halloran. She accidentally caught team-mate Hollie Moffett in the face with the ball from a raised free seven minutes after half-time, a freakish injury that saw the Irish international star taken to hospital with a suspected broken cheekbone.

O’Halloran channelled her emotions in admirable fashion thereafter, taking over the running of the College midfield in Moffett’s absence. She was everywhere as others tired late on, before keeping up her end of the bargain come stroke time by confidently rifling her effort into the corner of the net.

Moffett had an industrious first 20 minutes as College started better, but the students were fortunate to get the rub of the green from umpires Philip Shine and Andrew Gray throughout, particularly when two credible C of I short corner shouts were waved away.

Both sides were penetrating the circle at will – C of I via a slick passing game, while College used the dribbling ability of Áine Connery and Miriam Crowley up the middle – but shots on goal were strangely at a premium, as were short corners.

C of I finally got the game’s first set-piece chance on 31 minutes, Michaela Mihailou dummying her way past the runners to get a clean sight of goal, but Olden saved neatly.

College forced their only short corner of the entire 85 minutes just before half-time, but McCarthy was equal to O’Flynn’s high drag-flick.

C of I by far played the better hockey in the second half, with College understandably shaken by the unfortunate injury to Moffett. Deirdre Casey emerged as the game’s stand-out performer, as she and Amy Roberts helped create three half-chances for Julie O’Sullivan, but she couldn’t get any clean strikes on target under pressure from Orla Crowley and Áine Donegan.

When Áine Connery was yellow-carded for taking out a rampaging Mihailou from behind with nine minutes to go, the scene looked set for C of I to break College hearts late on once more.

But the closest they came was a Roberts reverse which crept harmlessly wide, and though they edged a tension-filled extra-time too, O’Flynn got a superb short corner block on Ryan to snuff out the Garryduff girls’ best chance.

Sisters Sinéad and Áine Connery, seen here in a game earlier this season, had mixed fortunes in a tension-filled penalty shootout. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

Mihailou buried C of I’s first stroke to set the tone for the shootout, and the psychological advantage look to have swung C of I’s way when a nerve-riddled Áine Connery needed three attempts to take College’s first.

Her eventual effort was botched, but McCarthy had gone the wrong way. Olden did her part by saving from Ryan and Sinéad Connery – though she had no chance with Casey’s effort – but the College trio of O’Connor, O’Halloran and O’Flynn never looked like missing, and it proved enough for a 4-2 win.

College will now take on Catholic Institute, who dispatched Ashton 2-0 thanks to goals from Aoife Roisín Burke and Aoife Kenny.

Burke gave the visitors the lead on five minutes when she intercepted in midfield and her shot squirmed past Vanessa Sargent. Ashton had the better of things thereafter but found Ciara Ronan in inspired form between the sticks for Institute, who made it safe ten minutes from time though Kenny.

While the students will start as favourites on paper on the evidence of their 3-1 win earlier this season, they will have to travel to Limerick for the February 28 encounter.

Things were far more straightforward for Cork Harlequins, who handed Belvedere an 11-0 thrashing in Ballincollig. Karen Bateman was in imperious form, claiming five goals, while Cliodhna Sargent bagged a double, with Hilary Chapple, Rachel McSharry, Emily O’Leary and Tracy Johnston also on target.

Quins, determined to win back the MSC having surrendered it last season following 12 consecutive wins, will now host Bandon in the semi-finals. The west Cork side progressed without hitting a ball, after they were given a walkover from UL.

Karen Bateman (left) netted five times for Quins against Belvedere. Picture: Adrian Boehm

In the only two top-level men’s games of the weekend, Quins A and B completed a decent day’s work for the club with wins over Bandon and UCC respectively.

Two Dan Hobbs strikes – the first a drag-flick in the first minute – and a Mark Black goal did the damage for Quins A in a 3-1 league win, with Clinton Sweetnam replying for Bandon.

Quins B progressed to the semi-finals of the Charity Cup with a 7-1 win over UCC that wasn’t as straightforward as the scoreline seems.

College took an early lead through Mark Barry only for Greg McClelland to cancel it out, before Quins were awarded a penalty stroke for an over-zealous stick tackle.

Brian Hayes-Curtin did the necessary from the spot, but College’s Graham Jeffery took his protestations too far, earning two yellow cards that turned into a red one in the process.

It was still 2-1 at the break as Quins B were largely out of sorts, but they plundered some early second-half goals and College went to pieces, with Eddie Dore, Colin Ross, Thomas Cotter, Phil O’Driscoll and Wes Bateman all getting on the scoresheet.

In the only other game of the day, C of I A defeated C of I B 2-0 in the women’s Division Five.

C of I's Grace Young (front) and Suzy Herbert celebrate Mel Ryan's opening goal against UCC last month. The Garryduff girls will be looking to record their sixth straight win over College this weekend. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

Another chapter in what has become one of the most enduring rivalries in Irish club hockey will be written today when Cork Church of Ireland and UCC meet in the quarter-finals of the women’s Munster Senior Cup at Garryduff (2pm).

An open draw for the tournament has resulted in last year’s finalists meeting again at the first hurdle this time around, with history weighing heavy on the students’ minds.

College will feel they owe C of I one, as the Rochestown girls have won the sides’ last five encounters by a single goal.

Their most recent meeting on December 20 saw C of I’s Mel Ryan hit a last-ditch winner, after College had recovered from 2-0 down to level it up.

That win put a serious dent in College’s league ambitions and revived C of I’s, following their 2-0 loss to champions and leaders Cork Harlequins earlier this term.

C of I also annexed their first Munster Senior Cup in three decades at College’s expense last season, with Rebecca Sweetnam’s golden goal the only strike of the game, and there will be little love lost between the sides this afternoon.

The hosts go into the clash slightly under-strength. Forwards Suzy Herbert and Lauragh O’Neill are currently out of the country, while new signing Jennifer Kenefick, who arrived from Railway Union, is unable to take her place at centre-back having not played the requisite number of league games.

The same applies to another talented central defender, Jenifer Hales,  who has resumed training in recent weeks after taking a year out for personal reasons.

College coaches Denis Pritchard and Paidi Hartnett won’t have a full deck to pick from either; captain Jean Long is abroad while defender Sarah Gray is in the final stages of recovery from a long-term knee injury.

Elsewhere, UL have given Bandon a walkover in one of the other quarter-finals, as they are unable to field a team with the academic term yet to begin.

Sisters Áine (left) and Sinéad Connery will do battle once more. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

In the other two ties, Catholic Institute will be favourites to oust Ashton despite having to travel.

But the Rosbrien girls didn’t have it all their own way in a league encounter with the Division One basement side before Christmas, winning by the odd goal in three.

Nonetheless, they should have enough firepower in the form of that day’s goalscorers Kym Daly and Naomi Carroll, along with Rosie Pratt, to claim a spot in the last four.

The same applies to Cork Harlequins, who head to Ballincollig to take on Belvedere. This is the most mismatched tie on paper, with Quins in their familiar position at the top of the table while Belvedere are at the wrong end.

But if the hosts can show some strength in resolve by frustrating Quins and prevent them from scoring early, it may be an uncomfortable afternoon for the defending league champions.

There’s a repeat of the Peard Cup final in the men’s Division One as Quins meet Bandon at Harlequin Park, with the west Cork men determined to have another crack at the city side after narrowly going down 1-0 on St Stephen’s Day.

That game is likely to be Geert Fromme’s last for Quins, as the Erasmus student is set to return to Holland later this month. Fromme has had an interesting soujourn in Cork, having been instrumental in his side’s 4-2 win over rivals C of I, while he helped CIT to the final of the intervarsities.

Meanwhile, UCC will be hoping to overturn a surprise 8-1 hammering at the hands of Quins B when the sides clash in the Charity Cup. A flood of second-half goals put paid to the students’ hopes before Christmas, and they will be mindful of not yielding once again to a side they are likely to be battling with at the wrong end of Division One.

In Division Two, Galway can finally resume their promotion bid after a series of postponements left them inactive for more than two months. They put their 100% record on the line at Belvedere.

UCC's Orla Crowley gets low to tackle Cork C of I's Julie O'Sullivan. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

Melanie Ryan capped a memorable week that saw her called up to the Ireland A squad by bagging a double that propelled Cork Church of Ireland back into the title race with a 3-2 win over rivals UCC on Saturday.

Ryan fired home off a short corner switch early on before Julie O’Sullivan deflected the ball home on the stroke of half-time following Michaela Mihailou’s surging run.

But College, who have seen league and cup ambitions scuppered by C of I in recent seasons, were a different side on the resumption and quickly wiped out C of I’s advantage.

Ali O’Regan deflected home Audrey O’Flynn’s ball at the back post off a well-worked short corner, before repeating the trick minutes later after Áine Connery had wreaked havoc down the left.

But Ryan struck in the final minutes, her short corner slap finding the net via O’Flynn’s stick, to break College hearts once again.

With Cork Harlequins winning 1-0 at home to Bandon thanks to a Cliodhna Sargent strike, they now lead the way by six points, but both College and C of I have games in hand.

Elsewhere, Naomi Carroll and Kym Daly halted Catholic Institute’s recent slump by scoring in a 2-1 win over Ashton, with Ailse Holland scoring for the hosts.

There were big wins for leaders C of I and basement boys Quins B in the men’s league. C of I hammered Catholic Institute 11-0 with Jonny Bruton claiming a hat-trick, while John Jermyn, Andy Herbert and Adam Pritchard were on target twice each.

Quins' Cliodhna Sargent goes for broke against Bandon. Picture: Rob Hobbs

Dutchman Geert Fromme was the other hat-trick hero of the weekend as Quins B picked up their first win of the season in emphatic style, hammering UCC 8-1.

C of I C are now six points clear at the top of Division Two after dispatching Bandon B 2-0 on Friday night, but they are still likely to face a stern challenge from Galway, who haven’t played in weeks but still have three wins from three, and have as many games in hand.

In Division Three, Catholic Institute B had little difficulty seeing off Belvedere B 5-0, while things were even easier for Midleton, who recorded a 13-0 win – the biggest margin of victory in all three divisions this season – over a depleted UCC B.

The women’s Division Two saw Quins’ resurgence continue with a 1-0 win over Institute, while C of I were easy 5-1 winners over Ashton. Shirleen Rowntree hit Bandon’s winner as they ousted UCC 1-0.

Dungarvan scored a notable 2-1 win at Quins in Division Three, while South East U18 player Faye Loughnane was once again among the goals as Waterford defeated Fermoy 2-0.

More photos from UCC vs C of I and Quins vs Bandon available here

Cork Harlequins' Mark Lombard dives in to try and dispossess Cork C of I's Andrew Daunt. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

Cork Church of Ireland marched into the second round of the men’s Irish Junior Cup, but only after they were given a stern examination by perennial rivals Cork Harlequins in an entertaining derby encounter at a freezing Garryduff this afternoon.

Goals in the dying minutes of each half from Nick Burns and Andrew Gray secured a 2-0 victory which saw them dump high-profile opposition out of the tournament for the second time in succession, having defeated Annadale 3-1 in the preliminary round.

But Dermot Judge’s side didn’t have it all their own way against the Division One’s bottom side, who won the corner count 5-2 and could have been level had they been more clinical up front.

C of I keeper Billy Lynch was called into action as early as the second minute, saving well from Philip Chambers, but neither he nor Quins netminder Steven White had much to do for the following 25 minutes, with circle penetrations at a minimum.

Quins’ Philip Burns had the ball in the net on 27 minutes after Phil O’Driscoll switched a short corner to the right, but his thunderbolt missed the backboard by a few feet to allow C of I to breathe again.

But the introduction of Stephen Parker on the half-hour proved a pivotal moment, and his powerful strike was superbly deflected into the bottom corner by Nick Burns – all the more impressive given he’d his back to goal.

Quins should have drawn level as they took the game to the hosts while Andrew Daunt was in the sin-bin, with Brian Hayes Curtin’s pass allowed to bounce all the way through to Mark Lombard, who could only find air despite being unmarked seven yards out.

Cork Harlequins' Philip Burns finds the net from a short corner, but the goal was disallowed for not hitting the backboard. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

Quins coach Philip White sensibly removed Geert Fromme from the fray midway through the second half, after the Dutchman had been warned by umpire Peter Murphy about his conduct after some rash challenges and choice words.

Fromme didn’t return to the field thereafter, and while Quins missed his guile in the offensive third, they were still proving a handful for the C of I defence.

Lynch did well to smother Eddie Dore’s shot after Lee d’Alton’s incisive cross-field ball had found the Kilkenny man free in the circle on 57 minutes, while White did superbly to save a stinging half-volley from Roger Gray at the other end minutes later.

Quins were given all the impetus they needed to push for an equaliser when Parker was harshly yellow-carded after his shoulder accidentally collided with Hayes Curtin’s face with ten minutes to go.

But Andrew Gray took the wind out of their sails with six minutes to go, firing home a low drag to ensure C of I advanced.

Elsewhere, John Jermyn’s short corner prowess helped C of I hit eight past  third-placed Bandon at Garryduff in Division One.

The Irish international midfielder bagged two hat-tricks – with five of those goals arriving via his trademark drag-flicks – in a game that was more evenly contested than the scoreline suggests.

C of I's Nick Burns (left) celebrates his goal with Stephen Parker. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

Drags from Jermyn in the 15th, 25th and 27th minutes had the hosts 3-0 to the good at the break, and Jonny Bruton’s strike two minutes after the resumption put the result beyond doubt.

Jermyn’s fourth almost snapped the net in the 51st minute, before Stephen Parker – playing his second game this afternoon – made it six. Jermyn grabbed one from play himself before rifling home another drag to complete the rout with 11 minutes to go.

Quins firsts saw their match with Catholic Institute postponed due to the weather, meaning C of I have now opened a three-point gap at the top of the table, with 29 goals to their credit – and none conceded – from just four games.

Quins' Mark Black lands on C of I's Stephen Parker after the latter scores - the goal was subsequently ruled out. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

Cork Harlequins staged a smash-and-grab raid to record a 4-2 victory over derby rivals Cork Church of Ireland in an enthralling Peard Cup quarter-final at Garryduff earlier today.

Quins were full value for their win, their first over C of I since routing them 5-2 at the semi-final stage of this competition last December, with a livewire David Egner doing most of the damage.

Both teams had agreed to play this match under Irish Hockey League rules, in order to give themselves a valuable hit-out ahead of their respective IHL clashes on November 29. The result was a superb spectacle played at a breakneck pace, easily the best club game played out anywhere in Munster this term.

While C of I had hit nine goals in their last three games against Quins, it was the visitors who showed the ruthlessness required up front, with three of their strikes coming from play.

But a Quins victory looked extremely unlikely early on, with C of I dominating the opening quarter. John Jermyn slipped as he wound up his first trademark drag of the game in the eighth minute, but it still had the pace to find the backboard and give the hosts an early lead.

They could have extended their advantage three minutes later, when Adam Pritchard did brilliantly to save a lost cause near the corner flag and hammer across goal, but Jonny Bruton – unusually subdued and superbly marshalled by Jason Black all game – couldn’t direct his shot on target.

Quins weren’t helping their own cause with constant backchat – Dave Lombard served a two-minute suspension, while they had a short corner taken off them for a similar outburst of dissent at the end of the quarter.

Quins' David Egner keeps control after taking a tumble under pressure from C of I's Adam Pritchard. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

But they settled far better on the resumption, and conjured a superb short-corner equaliser in the 25th minute. Main dangerman Dan Hobbs lined up a drag and drew Pritchard out before switching to Sean Nicholson, who slammed the ball across returning C of I netminder Mark Ruddle.

C of I’s Stephen Parker thought he’d scored when he bustled past Quins keeper Chris Daunt and held off Mark Black to scramble the ball home in the 28th minute, but the strike was chalked off for a foul in the build-up.

That decision resonated even louder for C of I two minutes after half time, when Egner got the deftest of touches on Phil O’Driscoll’s cross to direct the ball past Ruddle for a shock lead.

Their advantage only lasted four minutes however; there was an inevitability about the 41st minute strike from the moment C of I won just their second short, and Jermyn stepped up to rifle an unstoppable drag past Daunt.

Richard Gash’s absence this term means that Quins lack firepower on paper, but Egner is doing his best to ensure those goals aren’t missed, and he was instrumental in the strikes that gave Quins the bragging rights.

First, in the 50th minute, he got in behind the hosts’ defence and pulled a perfect ball back from the endline for Dutch erasmus student Geert Fromme to put Quins back in front.

And then he made the game safe on 63 minutes, adding the finishing touch to the strike of the match. Rob Hobbs made some space for himself on the right and fed Paul Lombard, who found Egner unmarked at the top of the circle.

Quins' Sean Nicholson (7) fires his side's first goal past C of I keeper Mark Ruddle. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

Egner resisted the temptation to shoot early, instead drawing out Ruddle before expertly flicking the ball over him, though the covering Pritchard was furious with himself for not completing a clearance off the line.

C of I, who had strangely lacked intensity for the previous 15 minutes, suddenly woke up, and forced just their third short of the game.

But Daunt was equal to the task this time of denying Jermyn this time around, and when Jason Black put in a brilliant diving block on Parker minutes later, C of I knew it wasn’t to be their day.

The defending Peard Cup champions will now take on C of I B – 5-2 winners over Catholic Institute last month – in the last four, a repeat of last year’s final which the Farmers Cross boys won 2-0.

CORK C OF I: M Ruddle; A Pritchard, A Chambers, K Burns, N Buttimer; A Herbert, David Hobbs, J Jermyn; A Moffett, S Parker, J Bruton.

Rolling subs: P Smith, R Gray, S O’Grady, K Lynch.

CORK HARLEQUINS: C Daunt; L d’Alton, J Hobbs, Dan Hobbs, J Black; S Nicholson, D Lombard, M Black; E Dore, P Lombard, D Egner.

Rolling subs: P Murray, R Hobbs, P O’Driscoll, G Fromme, C Ross.

Umpires: S McAllister & A Shute

C of I’s profligacy in front of goal looked like it would cost them once more as the game seemed headed for a stalemate, but Grace Young popped up to grab a winner with three minutes to go.

Young was presented with one of the few clear-cut opportunities of the game after Deirdre Casey had taken advantage of a misdirected Emily Kenefick clearance, and she cracked the ball into Karen Olden’s bottom corner to seal all three points.

Sister act: UCC's Aine Connery checks on injured elder sibling Sinead (Cork C of I). Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

It was no more than the hosts deserved, having stifled the students in midfield via some superb disruption work from skipper Sandra Hackett and Michaela Mihailou, while they also annihilated College 8-1 on the short corner count.

A combination of circumstances had led to the match hitting off at 10.30am – delayed half an hour due to a partially frozen pitch – which did little to draw the crowds to what should have been the biggest game of the weekend. Which was just as well, given this clash never hit the heights it promised on paper.

The first half was a sluggish affair, as College in particular seemed to be having trouble wiping the sleep from their eyes. The expected backlash from their mid-week intervarsities final defeat never materialised, with Irish international midfield duo Hollie Moffett and Julia O’Halloran both unusually subdued.

This was all the stranger given College owned the ball for the opening five minutes, with Áine Connery beating four players with a trademark run and Ali O’Regan forcing a smart save from the returning C of I netminder Orla McCarthy.

But it was one-way traffic thereafter, with Hackett and Mihailou – backed up by some smart distribution from Casey and Rebecca Murphy – cutting out most College attacks at the source.

Once again, however, C of I’s finishing and set-piece work let them down, troubling Olden just once with six first-half penalty corners, two of which were blocked down by Audrey O’Flynn, who picked up a nasty knock to the knee for her troubles.

Cork C of I's Sandra Hackett shields the ball from UCC's Audrey O'Flynn. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

Julie O’Sullivan should have given C of I the lead in the 30th minute, when she pick-pocketed Moffett and found herself one-on-one with Olden.

But she could only fire straight at the College keeper, much to the frustration of team-mate Suzy Herbert, who was standing unmarked for a tap-in a couple of yards away.

O’Halloran’s frustration boiled over in the 34th minute, as she hammered the ball into the fence after conceding a free, and gave up a short corner in the process.

The red mist also descended on College skipper Moffett, who was sin-binned in the 45th minute for crassly felling Casey from behind, but the students found some form in her absence.

First, O’Flynn’s 60-yard aerial found O’Regan, who played a neat one-two with Connery but couldn’t get a clean strike in. Minutes later, Aine Donegan did well to pick out Connery, but her powerful reverse flew across goal.

Both sides were guilty of flashing balls across the circle when there was no-one on the far post to take advantage, and it looked to be heading for a draw when College finally won a short on 63 minutes.

There was a sense of inevitability as College lined up for the set-piece, as if they were about to steal the win from under the noses of the hosts, but O’Flynn’s drag-flick – a weapon which has caused plenty of damage this term – was straight at McCarthy.

UCC's Audrey O'Flynn takes a tumble over Cork C of I's Michaela Mihailou. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

O’Flynn was still proving to be College’s best creative outlet as they pressed for a win, but C of I had other plans, and Young finally broke the deadlock with a neat finish past Olden on 67 minutes.

Miriam Crowley almost rescued a draw for College in the dying seconds, but McCarthy was equal to the task, and Hackett finished the clearance job to ensure the points stayed in Rochestown.

CORK C OF I: O McCarthy (GK); M Ryan, R Murphy, R Sweetnam, S Connery; S Hackett (capt), M Mihailou, D Casey; J O’Sullivan, A Roberts, S Herbert.

Rolling subs: G Young, S Delaney, L O’Neill.

UCC: K Olden (GK); A O’Connor, O Crowley, A O’Flynn, J Long; E O’Donoghue, H Moffett, J O’Halloran; A Connery, A O’Regan, M Crowley.

Rolling subs: E Kenefick, A Donegan, F O’Connell.

Umpires: J Beamish & Z Howe.

While leagues are, of course, never won before Christmas, if College have genuine aspirations of breaking the dominance of Quins and C of I, these are the games they must start to win, and they will be keen to lay down a marker.

They fared exceptionally well against Quins last term, taking four points off them in two games and becoming the first team to beat them in domestic competition in eight years in the process.

Deirdre Casey's battle with former team-mate Hollie Moffett will be one of many intriguing sub-plots. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

But their failure to win any of their three clashes with C of I last term effectively ruined their season; the 1-0 and 2-1 league losses essentially cost them an automatic Irish Hockey League place, while the golden goal Munster Senior Cup final loss hurt even more.

C of I can therefore be guaranteed a highly-charged contest, especially so given College will be looking to blow off some steam after the varsities.

As well as suffering at the hands of their other bogey team, UCD, the varsities proved to be a chastening experience physically too, with a number of players suffering injuries.

But College aren’t the only ones with plenty of motivation for this encounter. C of I exorcised some of the demons of their 2-0 league loss to Quins earlier this month by defeating Randalstown in the IHL, but the Garryduff girls have been kicking their heels for two weeks since.

They will also be keen to make a statement of their own – namely that there isn’t about to be a changing of the guard at the business end of Munster hockey.

Both sides still have worries on the goalscoring front, however. While 11 goals in six varsity games seems like a decent return for College, UCD were far more prolific – 23 goals scored, and, remarkably, none conceded.

That ruthlessness earned them a straightforward semi-final against Trinity, while College needed extra-time to see off Ulster Elks 3-2, and those exertions can’t have helped their cause in the final later that day.

Given the goalscoring potential in the team – Audrey O’Flynn, Eibhlin O’Donoghue and Ali O’Connor all present threats at short corner time, while Ali O’Regan, Julia O’Halloran and Aine Connery have proven records from play – it’s a mystery as to why they still haven’t fully unlocked it.

C of I’s problem is of a different nature; they have little difficulty troubling the scoreboard against the weaker teams – witness the 12 goals racked up against Ashton and Belvedere – but the goals dry up when they are presented with capable opposition.

Quins ruthlessly exposed this weakness a few weeks ago, their clinical finishing a total contrast to C of I’s inefficiency up front.

It was the same story against Randalstown, as countless opportunities went begging due to wasteful finishing or a poor final pass, until Mel Ryan eventually made one count from a corner. They will be hoping the passes start to stick this weekend.

Ali O'Regan has scored in both UCC's league games so far. Picture: Adrian Boehm

A further intriguing sub-plot should unfold in midfield, where young pretender Hollie Moffett goes head-to-head with relative veteran Deirdre Casey.

The latter bounced back from a difficult afternoon against Rachael Kohler by showing her class against Randalstown, making intelligent use of the auto-pass rule and producing surging runs that the northerners found hard to handle.

Moffett’s brief is slightly different however; she acts as a fulcrum to release Connery and O’Halloran into space, and is admirably effective when facing her own goal, demanding the ball from her defence before turning and finding the right pass to get her team moving.

A similarly contrasting dynamic exists in the style of College’s O’Donoghue and C of I skipper Sandra Hackett, ensuring the battleground between the 25s should be worth the admission alone.

It will also be interesting to see what role C of I coach Phil Oakley hands Grace Young. Noted for her own rampages along the wings, her pace may be an effective method of shackling Connery, who also has a fondness for patrolling the touchlines.

There was never more than a goal between these two last year, and that’s not likely to change this weekend; it may come down to who wants it more. That would suggest a College victory, but C of I have the upper hand psychologically; it’s too tight to call, so let’s sit back and watch the fireworks instead.

Clinical finishing from Rachel McSharry and Hilary Chapple saw Cork Harlequins strike an early blow in a the title race that is set to be three-pronged once again this year.

C of I’s inability to find the backboard in big games came back to haunt them, though they weren’t helped by a superb exhibition of goalkeeping from Quins’ Amy O’Neill.

Rachel McSharry (centre) celebrates her goal with Karen Bateman. Picture: Adrian Boehm

The ever-increasing age profile of the Quins team has raised the question as to whether Clive Seale’s side will finally loosen their grip on the Munster Senior League trophy after 13 years.

While Quins didn’t quite answer that question as emphatically as they would have liked, they once again showed their neighbours that it’s quality not quantity that wins games, and the win is all the more welcome given skipper Eimear Cregan and Cliodhna Sargent were both on Ireland duty.

Nonetheless, C of I monopolised possession in the opening minutes, and Lauragh O’Neill stung her namesake’s gloves with a powerful drag-flick on seven minutes.

Phil Oakley’s side worked their way into the Quins 25 on numerous occasions in the first quarter, but the final ball was almost always missing, and Quins made them pay with their first chance of the game on 26 minutes.

Rachael Kohler’s short corner slap was saved low by Orla McCarthy, but McSharry reacted quickest and deftly lifted the ball over the grounded C of I keeper for a 1-0 lead they hardly deserved.

C of I's Eimear and Sinead Connery remonstrate with umpire Julie Beamish. Picture: Adrian Boehm

There was still plenty of reason for C of I to be hopeful as Michaela Mihailou, making her last appearance for the club, and Mel Ryan successfully probed the wings.

But they only troubled O’Neill once before the break, the Quins netminder getting down well to save Ryan’s short corner shot, and the hosts struck a killer blow four minutes after the resumption.

Again, it came from a set-piece, and this time Hilary Chapple was on hand to fire home from an acute angle after a goalmouth melee.

Rather than sit back on their lead, Quins began to assume control, with Kohler winning the midfield battle with Deirdre Casey.

But it was C of I who came closest to scoring, with O’Neill first saving from Mihailou after a clever short corner switch, before brilliantly turning Lauragh O’Neill’s slap onto the post 30 seconds later.

As if C of I needed conformation that it wasn’t to be their day, Sinead Connery was sin-binned in the closing minutes, a decision which sparked some heated exchanges with umpires Julie Beamish and Zenia Howe after the final whistle.

14-year-old Leanne Mullins (left) made a big impression in her first senior Quins/C of I derby. Picture: Adrian Boehm

But it’s business as usual for Quins, who will nonetheless need to step their performance up a notch when they visit Ballymoney in their opening Irish Hockey League encounter next weekend.

Fourteen-year-old Leanne Mullins is ruled out of that game by age restrictions, but Seale and the onlooking Munster U16 girls coach John Hobbs will have been delighted to see the Ashton schoolgirl acquit herself so well in such exalted company.

Meanwhile, C of I’s men exacted a modicum of revenge for their ladies when they defeated Quins 2-0 in the second part of the “big two” double-header this afternoon.

A surprisingly partisan away support arrived in hope of another goal-feast after the C of I’s dramatic 5-4 Munster Senior Cup final win last season, and while that never materialised, they were nonetheless treated to a superb spectacle.

The game served as a perfect warm-up for next weekend’s IHL, with seven Irish internationals past and present on display as Quins went in search of revenge after losing out to the Garryduff outfit in both league and cup last season.

While there had been 15 short corners in the women’s game, goalmouth action was at more of a premium in the men’s encounter with both defences in command, while keepers Billy Lynch and Chris Daunt were alive to most threats from play.

But it was C of I who claimed the vital league points, as they finally broke the deadlock thanks to a fine breakaway goal 15 minutes from time.

Stephen Parker broke out of defence after C of I had blocked down a short corner, and ignored John Jermyn’s screams for a pass to split the backtracking Quins defence with a superb pass that sent Alec Moffett and Jonny Bruton clear on keeper Chris Daunt.

Moffett found Bruton, who took the ball wide of Daunt before skilfully squaring the ball behind a backtracking Quins defender for Moffett to touch home.

They rubbed salt into the home side’s wounds at the death, with David Hobbs firing home a short corner rebound seconds after the final whistle, to put C of I in a positive mood ahead of next weekend’s clash with Fingal.

Mark Black sheds blood for the Quins cause. Picture: Adrian Boehm

Elsewhere, Bandon were made to work extremely hard by UCC, with a goal from Andrew Kingston – who has returned to the club after an eight-year absence – giving them a 1-0 win.

The west Cork side could have reasonably expected to win at their leisure after last weekend’s 4-0 Peard Cup quarter-final victory.

But John Dennis’ side gave a far more coherent performance this time around, and could have stolen a draw had they been more ruthless at short corner time.

Catholic Institute bagged their first win of the new campaign with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Quins B at Rosbrien.

Institute had considered following Belvedere’s lead in dropping to Division Two earlier this year, but results such as this will certainly help copper-fasten the notion that they aren’t out of place in the top tier.

Eric Calender and Gareth Creamer got the all-important strikes, with Greeth Fromme replying for Quins, his second goal in as many games.

Meanwhile, UCC join Quins as the only sides in the women’s Division One with 100% records thanks to a 3-0 away triumph over Ashton on Sunday.

Eibhlín O’Donoghue plundered two goals from short corners before Ali O’Regan finished off a flowing move involving Miriam Crowley, Jean Long and Julia O’Halloran to seal the win.

The competitiveness of the lower reaches of the women’s Division One once again reared its head as Bandon and Belvedere drew 1-1 at Ballincollig, with the latter’s Anne Murray cancelling out Thelma Kingston’s effort.

C of I's David Hobbs (left) celebrates his last-minute goal. Picture: Adrian Boehm

Both sides have had Jekyll and Hyde starts to the campaign, with Belvedere winning 2-1 against UL before losing 7-0 to C of I, while Bandon followed up a 6-0 mauling of Catholic Institute with a 3-1 defeat to Quins and a shock 1-0 loss to Ashton.

For their part, Institute bounced back from last week’s loss to UCC by ousting UL 2-0 thanks to a brace from Ireland A starlet Kym Daly.

Captain Eimear Cregan and Cliodhna Sargent are in Jordanstown in camp with the Irish national side, putting the home side at a distinct disadvantage, given C of I have not lost anyone to international call-ups.

Despite the obvious frustration of clubs effectively being punished for producing international players, Quins manager Pat Sargent, mother of Cliodhna, insists there is little point in worrying about factors outside of the club’s control.

Cliodhna Sargent: Set to miss Quins' crunch clash with C of I due to international commitments. Picture: Adrian Boehm

“We’re always going to get caught at some stage with the girls being away with Ireland, and it is tough on us that it’s happened for such a big game,” she said.

“But we have to just take these things as they come, it’s going to happen no matter what. We’ll still have a strong team with a couple of former internationals (Rachael Kohler and Karen Bateman) in the side.

“We didn’t look for a postponement or anything. There are very few free weekends anyway now due to the Irish Hockey League, and the last thing we want is to have a load of back matches to play. There’s enough pressure on the girls as it is, they have to play so much hockey.”

Quins, who are gunning for their 13th consecutive Munster title, have been solid rather than spectacular in their opening wins over Bandon and UL.

But they will still go into today’ s clash as favourites against a C of I side that has hit 12 goals in victories over Ashton and Belvedere.

The Garryduff outfit will be hoping to give Michaela Mihailou a rousing send-off in her last game for the club before she returns to Australia next week.

The clash of last year’s top two always whets the appetite, but the occasion is given added spice today as it is part of a double-header involving the men’s teams, with the latter hitting off at 2pm.

C of I needed a golden goal winner from Jonathan Bruton to seal a dramatic 5-4 win in the Munster Senior Cup final the last time these teams met, once again proving the unpredictability of these ties, and today’s clash is equally tough to call.

Quins will be missing Philip McLaughlin and David Mills, but otherwise can call on all their big guns for a clash that will serve as a perfect warm-up for both sides’ opening IHL clashes next weekend.

C of I will hope to give Michaela Mihailou a winning send-off as she plays her last game for the club before returning to her native Australia. Picture: Des Barry/Irish Examiner

John Jermyn’s return from Holland has significantly boosted C of I’s offensive options both from play and set-pieces, but Quins have a score to settle after losing out to their perennial rivals in both the league and cup last season.

Meanwhike, UCC will be hoping to improve on last weekend’s 4-0 Peard Cup defeat to Bandon when the west Cork side visit the Mardyke, while Catholic Institute seek their first points of the season when they welcome Quins B to Rosbrien.

Elsewhere, UCC’s women have also been hit by international call-ups, and they will be without the services of Audrey O’Flynn and Hollie Moffett when they meet Ashton tomorrow (Sunday).

Áine Connery was also included in that Irish squad, but she broke a finger in training during the week and is expected to be out for up to a month.

There’s a intriguing Limerick derby at Rosbrien as Catholic Institute host UL. Institute have had a Jekyll and Hyde start to their season, going down 6-0 to Bandon on the opening day before defeating Ashton 6-1 a week later.

Kym Daly will be hoping to help Catholic Institute to a derby victory over UL this weekend. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

They gave UCC a tough time at the Mardyke last weekend, eventually losing 3-1, and their attacking triumvirate of Kym Daly, Naomi Carroll and Rosie Pratt is improving with each outing, and they still have three or four players due back off the treatment table.

UL have given a decent account of themselves so far, giving lie to the notion that student sides traditionally start slowly with a 2-1 over Belvedere in their opening encounter.

Even more encouragingly, they made Quins work extrremely hard for their 2-0 win in Limerick last weekend, and Jen O’Loughlin and co. will fancy their chances of claiming local bragging rights.

In Ballincollig, Belvedere and Bandon will both be looking to blow off some steam after particuarly sore defeats last weekend. The hosts were thumped 7-0 by C of I, while Bandon’s shock 1-0 defeat to Ashton will have hurt every bit as much.

*See Fixtures and Results for full list of games

The west Cork outfit were simply more clinical than their Limerick opponents, with the majority of their goals coming from play, and their superior fitness was also a telling factor.

They will be particularly pleased that their goals were spread throughout the team, with Kate Murphy, Alison Kingston, Louise O’Flynn, Jane O’Higgins, Kate O’Sullivan and Ireland U18 starlet Olivia Roycroft doing the damage.

Cork C of I's Sinead Connery (left) and Lauragh O'Neill (right) close down Ashton's Aine Cummins (centre). Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

However, the heavy margin of defeat will be a source of concern for Institute, who are traditionally one of the strongest sides in the division outside the “big two” of Quins and C of I, running UCC close for third place last term.

They will be hoping for better luck next week when they host Ashton, who went down 5-0 to Cork Church of Ireland at Garryduff this afternoon.

Ashton, who finished bottom of Division One last season but earned a relegation reprieve thanks to the rule preventing second teams – in this case, last year’s Division Two winners Catholic Institute B – had no answer to C of I’s superior movement, as the hosts hit the goal trail in an emphatic fashion.

C of I coach Phil Oakley won’t have been pleased with the hatful of chances his side spurned, but theere were plenty of positives too, notably the performances of rookies Hollie Sweetnam and Lauragh O’Neill.

O’Neill in particular could turn out to be a precocious attacking talent – Ashton keeper Vanessa Sargent thwarted all of her drag-flicks today, but the teenager has plenty of time to harness the power needed to go with the sharp accuracy she already possesses.

She came desperately close to hitting one of the goals of the season inside the first minute, crashing a volley volleying against the crossbar from the top of the circle, but C of I didn’t have to wait long to hit the front.

From their first short corner in the 10th minute – they managed 11 in total – Mel Ryan’s slap was deflected home by captain Sandra Hackett.

Ashton almost plundered an equaliser four minutes later, when Orla McCarthy got a block on Emma Harrington’s deflection after Eimear Connery had uncharacteristically given the ball away to Aine Cummins deep in the C of I half.

Indeed, Harrington was by far Ashton’s most potent attacking threat, but her opportunities were few and far between as her side were continually thwarted by C of I’s press, and the Garryduff outfit extended their lead on 26 minutes via a Claire Hickey tap-in after good work down the left from Grace Young and Amy Roberts.

Cork C of I's Sarah Delaney gets the better of Ashton's Karen Stokes. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

With talented Australian Michaela Mihailou pulling the strings, C of I put the result beyond doubt with two quickfire strikes before half-time.

First, Ryan beat Sargent with a short corner strike on 31 minutes, before Young fired home the pick of the bunch three minutes later after she and Deirdre Casey had shredded the Ashton defence.

Harrington should have pulled once back for Ashton on the resumption when she engineered a one-on-one with McCarthy, but she made a mess of her reverse effort, and the game petered out thereafter as both sides tired under a surprisingly warm September sun.

Mihailou saw yellow in the 53rd minute for a deliberate breakdown foul on Harrington, but Ashton made no headway from the resultant short corner, and Roberts put the finishing touch on C of I’s victory seven minutes from time with a tap-in after Hackett’s long ball from the right somehow evaded the Ashton defence.

In the men’s Division One, Paul Murray struck twice on his debut for Cork Harlequins A as they humbled Quins B 9-0.

The former Belvedere man was denied a hat-trick after he saw another goal chalked off by the umpires, but David Egner stole his thunder anyway by striking three times himself.

Ashton's Aine Cummins can't stop Cork C of I's Deirdre Casey getting the ball away. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

Irish international Sean Nicholson marked his return to the Quins side after a year abroad with a 38th minute strike, while Darren Farrell and Dan Hobbs also got their names on the scoresheet in the final ten minutes, the latter’s strike his side’s only goal from a penalty corner.

Elsewhere, C of I ousted Ashton 2-0 in the ladies’ Division Four, while Fermoy were held 1-1 by Mallow. In Division Five, Ashton went down 4-0 to C of I, while Bruff opened their account in Division Six with a comprehensive 6-0 defeat of Ashton, and Cobh played out a 0-0 stalemate against Belvedere.

But the result of the weekend belonged to Limerick in Division Five, as they stormed Farmers Cross in spectacular fashion, defeating hosts Cork Harlequins 10-1, with Jenni Lyttle grabbing seven of their strikes.

Ladies Div 1

Cork C of I 5 (S Hackett, C Hickey, M Ryan, G Young, A Roberts) Ashton 0

Bandon 6 (K Murphy, A Kingston, O Roycroft, L O’Flynn, J O’Higgins, K O’Sullivan) Catholic Institute 0

Mens Div 1

Cork Harlequins A 9 (D Egner 3, P Murray 2, L d’Alton, S Nicholson, D Farrell, D Hobbs) Cork Harlequins B 0

Ladies Div 4

Cork C of I 2 (A O’Connell, E Coyne) Ashton 0

Fermoy 1 Mallow 1

Ladies Div 5

Ashton  0 Cork C of I 4 (J Preston, K Donovan, W Heath)

Cork Harlequins 1 (K O’Mara) Limerick 10 (J Lyttle 7, S O’Brien, T Whisker, S Cremin)

Ladies Div 6

Bruff 6 Ashton 0

Cobh 0 Belvedere  0