Having lost to Pembroke and Glenanne in their opening games, Quins knew a win for the Dubliners today would all but end their already-faint hopes of challenging for a place in the last four. And when Alan Sothern struck either side of the break, Pembroke appeared to have the tie sewn up.

The Dubliners threw away a 3-0 lead here last term in the Irish Senior Cup before eventually emerging victorious in extra-time, but there was to be no second chance this time around as they leaked three goals in the final 11 minutes. Chris Kirk gave Inst hope on 59 minutes, before Chris Barnes levelled four minutes later.

Bandon's Alison Kingston chases down a Three Rock Rovers player during the sides' Irish Trophy tie at Grange Road in Dublin. Bandon lost on penalty strokes. Picture: Emer Keogh

Skipper Mark Irwin fired the winner for the Old Boys with 90 seconds to go to revive Inst’s hopes and complete a memorable weekend that also saw them thump Annadale 4-1 in their domestic league.

It now means Pool A is wide open again, and if Quins can defeat the ‘Dale on home soil at the end of the month, they may be back in with a shout.

Elsewhere, the women of Cork C of I moved to within three points of champions Cork Harlequins at the summit of Division One thanks to a workmanlike 3-1 defeat of Catholic Institute.

Julie O’Sullivan, Suzy Herbert and Michaela Mihailou were on target in a win that means C of I can draw level with Quins if they win their game in hand. The result also all but ends Institute’s – for whom teen starlet Naomi Carroll was on the scoresheet – chances of gate-crashing the top three.

The Garryduff girls’ seconds completed a good weekend for the club as Hollie Sweetnam’s golden goal sealed a 2-1 win over Waterford in the Division Two Cup, while Ashton also progressed via a hard-fought 3-2 defeat of Bandon.

In the men’s Division Two, C of I C were surprisingly held to a 1-1 draw by their D side, but remain three points clear of Belvedere at the top of the table.

It was a fruitful weekend for Quins D in Division Three as they hit 14 goals in two matches, beating C of I F 8-0 on Friday night before dismantling Belvedere B 6-0 on Sunday, both away from home.

The biggest challengers to their supremacy look to be Catholic Institute B, who were nowhere near their best despite whipping basement side UCC C 7-0 at the Mardyke. They are three points behind, while Midleton aren’t out of the race just yet and lie six points further back after a 3-0 win over C of I E.

UCC B completed their programme for the first half of the season by defeating Quins E 3-0, with South African Andrew Keyes striking twice and Dickie Barrett netting the other. The result looks to have done enough to secure their Division Three status before the league is split later this month.

Whether Limerick B will be included in a four or five-team Division Four may depend on how they fare in their two games in hand, at home to C of I E and Quins E. The Treaty city side did their hopes of staying up no favours by giving Ashton a walkover this weekend, and were deducted a point as a result.

However, UCC C, Belvedere B, Quins E and C of I F are all practical certainties to be making the drop next month, something which may come as a relief given all have been on the end of some heavy defeats this term, shipping 169 goals between them and scoring just 38.

Elsewhere, Tom Cotter and Greg McClelland shared seven goals between them as Quins B recorded a facile 12-1 win over Limerick A in the Munster Junior Cup.  Bandon B received a walkover from Belvedere B, while Quins C’s tie with UCC B was postponed.

In the women’s Division Three, there were good wins for Waterford (8-0 vs Cork Harlequins), Clonmel (5-1 vs Midleton) and Fermoy (3-0 vs Belvedere), while in Division Four, Mallow recorded draws with Waterford and C of I, and Tiperary defeated Mallow 2-0.

Division Five saw UCC and Quins play out a scoreless draw, while Limerick were handy 3-0 winners at C of I, and Ashton drew 2-2 at home to Belvedere. In the only game in Division Six, Ashton defeated UCC 4-0.

Neither side has had an easy time of it recently; College have shipped 15 goals in their last two games, while Institute leaked 11 in their last outing against Cork C of I. College are likely to be without Brendan Woods, who was red-carded in their 2-1 win at Cliftonville in the previous round.

But the carrot of a semi-final spot – and a place in the revamped Irish Senior Cup – should be motivation enough for the Munster duo, who will both go into their ties as underdogs. Should UCC progress, they have a bye to the ISC second round, while Institute will have a glamour tie with Glenanne should they advance.

In the women’s competition, Ashton have already progressed to the last eight having been given a walkover from Queens, while Catholic Institute await the winners of Bandon’s visit to Three Rock Ladies.

Elsewhere, Pembroke Wanderers and Instonians will be hoping it will be a case of third time lucky as they look to finally get their twice-postponed Irish Hockey League round two encounter at Shaw’s Bridge played on Sunday.

The frosty weather prevented the clash of two giants of Irish club hockey going ahead in November and December, meaning the landscape is now vastly different in how both will approach the tie, which Cork Harlequins will be keeping a close eye on.

Inst were in disarray earlier this term as they were without a number of their star players, with the nadir coming with a 5-0 Ulster league rout at the hands of Lisnagarvey.

C of I B's Andrew Daunt will be looking to impress against his club's firsts on Saturday. Picture: Eoin Tyrrell

But the return of talismanic drag-flicker Mark Gleghorne and Steven Redpath from injury has galvanised them in recent weeks, and they have leaped from sixth to third, scoring 19 goals in their past four games.

They face a season-defining weekend, as they also meet leaders Annadale in the league on Saturday.

That means Craig Fulton won’t have to warn his Pembroke side – who have yet to catch fire this season but possess the country’s form forward in Alan Sothern – of complacency, while they know a win here could all but end Inst’s hopes of making the last four.

Queens University have set aside a pitch in the advent of Shaw’s Bridge being frozen for a third time, to ensure the clash gets played.

Having already lost to Pembroke and Glenanne – who drew with Annadale in round one – Quins will be hoping for an Inst win or a draw, as either result will prevent Pembroke from opening up an extensive gap at the business end of their pool.

Domestically, things are staying in-house at Munster’s big two this weekend, as C of I and Cork Harlequins will both expect to take full marks from their own B sides to maintain their two-horse race for the title.

In the women’s league, Cork Church of Ireland face a double-header as they look to bounce back from last weekend’s heartbreaking Munster Senior Cup penalty strokes defeat to UCC.

The Garryduff girls can call on new recruit Jennifer Kenefick in defence as they lock horns with Belvedere and Catholic Institute, though it remains to be seen whether recent returnee Jenifer Hales will be risked.

UCC's Hollie Moffett will miss her side's clash with Catholic Institute after suffering a suspected cheekbone fracture last weekend. Picture: Adrian Boehm

Wins in both games would close the gap on leaders Cork Harlequins to just three points, assuming the champions take all three points from their clash with UL, but C of I will still have a game in hand.

Elsewhere, UCC travel to Limerick to face Institute in the hope of keeping their title challenge alive, but will have to do without vice-captain Hollie Moffett, who is recovering from a suspected cheekbone fracture sustained last weekend.

Despite being handed a walkover from Queens, Ashton have no fixture this weekend and will be hoping none of their rivals pull away from what is a tight scrap at the bottom.

It’s a cup weekend in Division Two, with UCC’s visit to Quins one of the most intriguing ties on paper.

The Farmers Cross outfit won 4-1 in the sides’ most recent league fixture, but College have shown they are well capable of getting a result on their day, drawing 1-1 with Waterford earlier this term despite only having 10 players available.

Institute host Moyne/Thurles in a clash of last year’s top two, while Ashton meet Bandon and Waterford travel to C of I in search of revenge for last weekend’s 2-0 defeat.

Mick McGuinness fired drag-flicks in the fifth and 69th minutes to give Fingal a famous 2-0 victory in yesterday’s refixed Irish Hockey League clash, a result which leaves Pool B wide open.

And Leinster title-holders Rovers were also on the wrong end of a first league reverse since October 2007 on Saturday, surprisingly going down 2-1 to struggling Railway Union.

Elsewhere in the IHL Pool B,  Lisnagarvey reeled in a three-goal deficit to claim a thrilling 5-4 victory over Monkstown as Cork native Jason Lynch grabbed a sensational winner with three minutes to go.

Lisnagarvey's Jason Lynch careers through the Monkstown defence at Rathdown earlier today. The Cork-born star scored Garvey's winner a 5-4 epic. Picture: Adrian Boehm

Strikes from Gareth Watkins, teen sensation Stephen Cole and Filip Jaros had put the Dubliners 3-0 up at Rathdown, and they looked to have quelled a possible Garvey revival when Watkins cancelled out Timmy Cockram’s penalty corner after the break.

But Stuart McNeice gave Garvey renewed hope on 43 minutes, and Cockram rammed home penalty corners either side of the end of the third quarter to tie it up, before Lynch coolly converted a three-on-one to seal a stunning comeback.

Meanwhile, the biting cold in Belfast claimed the Instonians v Pembroke Wanderers clash for a second time, while the Cookstown/Annadale saga rumbles on after the latter appealed for a postponement, causing yet another fixture headache for tournament organisers.

The shocks continued in the women’s IHL yesterday, where last season’s Irish Senior Cup winners Pegasus were defeated 3-2 by Loreto.

Alex Speers nudged the Belfast ladies in front early on, but international colleague Nikki Symmons’ drag had Loreto level by the end of the first quarter.

Teenager Zara Delany — who claimed an eight-minute hat-trick in Loreto’s opening IHL encounter against Belfast Harlequins — found the net either side of half-time before Speers setup a nervy finale, but the Ulster kingpins couldn’t find an equaliser.

In Pool B, second-half strikes from Catriona McGlip and Rosie Carrigan saw UCD give Ballymoney the slip on a 2-0 scoreline at Belfield yesterday.

Elsewhere, Cork Harlequins’ men did the double over Cork Church of Ireland B this weekend, but not without suffering a major fright against the Garryduff club’s second string.
C of I B were 2-0 up on their illustrious rivals in Saturday’s league tie with breakaway goals from Andrew Gray and Mark Holmes.

But a John Hobbs double and Dave Egner’s strike pulled the game out of the fire for Quins in a 3-2 win, while Hobbs and Paul Lombard were on the scoresheet yesterday as they won their Peard Cup semi-final against the same opposition 2-0. They will meet Bandon in the final on December 27.

The cold weather claimed Munster’s only other Division One fixture, a keenly-awaited the top-of-the-table tie between the women of UCC and Cork Harlequins.

Cork camogie star Emer Dillon in action for Leinster pace-setters Railway Union against Trinity on Saturday. Picture: Adrian Boehm

As explained elsewhere on this site, few of the Irish Trophy and Irish Challenge games went ahead, but the best of those that survived the freeze was played out at Newtown, where second division Waterford pushed Catholic Institute all the way before going down 4-3.

There was heartbreak for Limerick in both the men’s and women’s Irish Challenge matches – the latter went down 3-2 to Greenfields, while the men were cruising at 2-0 against Down thanks to goals from Robbie Ryan and Roy Harvey, only for Mark Elliot’s brace and Jareth McGready to complete a memorable comeback for the northerners.

Cork C of I were the big winners in the women’s lower ranks, defeating rivals Harlequins 1-0 (Div 2) and 7-0 (Div 3) and UCC 4-0 in Div 4.

In the men’s leagues, Belvedere recorded a notable 5-3 victory at Harlequins C in Division Two, while amazingly, all but one of the games in Division Three survived the weather, with Belvedere B’s clash with UCC C the only game to bite the dust.

Runaway leaders Quins D surrendered their 100% record at the hands of C of I E, drawing 2-2, with the latter now in joint second place with Ashton, who were 6-2 winners at C of I F.

Midleton drop back a few places after failing to fulfil their fixture away to Limerick B, while Catholic Institute B moved themselves back into contention with a 3-2 defeat of UCC. Dave Kavanagh bagged a hat-trick for the Rosbrien side, with James O’Reilly and Dickie Barrett replying for the Mardyke lads.

The ‘Dale were 4-1 up at Coolnafranky last Saturday when the game was abandoned in the third quarter due to the dangerous underfoot conditions caused by sub-zero temperatures at the Co Tyrone venue.

Despite the fact that Annadale were set to collect three points for a win — plus a bonus point for being more than two goals up — the IHL has decreed that the game will be replayed from the start, with the sides beginning at 0-0, on December 14.

Five other games affected by the weather are also refixed for that date, but all but one of those never got underway in the first place. Monkstown, however, were 1-0 up against Lisnagarvey when their game was halted in the first quarter.

An Annadale spokesperson said: “The IHL (committee) confirmed there is no precise rule for the treatment of abandoned games.

Hermes' Jenny Burke tries to keep warm at half-time in Armagh last weekend. A number of IHL games were affected by the cold weather, particularly those in Ulster. Picture: Deryck Vincent

“We are concerned that this decision is not in the best interests of the progress and development of the IHL, a league which we have welcomed as part of the strategic development of Irish hockey.

“Comparisons have been made in the decision to other Irish hockey competitions, but it did not take into account the impact of the bonus point rule, nor is it totally clear what will happen if such a situation was to occur during a finals weekend.

“We are also concerned at financial implications for re-arranged matches, particularly for those with extended journeys and overnight expense.

“The IHL is a club league.  We feel that this is a matter for all clubs in Ireland and they must be represented and have an input to these important decisions, rules and regulations for the future development of the IHL.”

The Belfast club are aggrieved that in the EuroHockey League (EHL) — which the match format variations for the IHL has largely been based on — matches are resumed from the point they were stopped, with the scoreline from the abandoned encounter intact.

However, an IHL  spokesperson said that while they were very sympathetic towards Annadale’s situation, the decision was made in line with regulations governing other Irish hockey competitions.

The spokesperson added that the EHL is played in a tournament format — where all teams compete together at one location — which facilitates re-starting abandoned matches from where they were stopped, while the IHL’s league format restricts this.

Despite boasting the best defensive record at last year’s Nations Championships, a shock 1-0 defeat to France saw them relegated to the Trophy event, something new coach Paul Revington will be keen to put right immediately.

Stephen Butler: Won't be departing the international scene anytime soon. Picture: Adrian Boehm

Revington will have already built up a decent dossier on the Russians by the time the tournament rolls around, as Ireland have also been drawn against them in the preceding Champions Challenge II tournament.

The Irish Hockey Association (IHA) is set to discover in the coming weeks whether their bid to host the tournament has been successful, with Italy and Chile also believed to have applied.

Ireland are top seeds at the Nations Trophy, and will be expected to progress to a final where Scotland — a side Ireland defeated three times last month — are favourites to meet themadvance from the other side of the draw.

The Irish women have avoided Olympic champions the Netherlands in their Nations Championship pool, but must still contend with hockey powerhouses Spain and Germany, with Scotland completing the group.

Meanwhile, Ireland’s most capped current player, Stephen Butler, says his desire to help propel Ireland to the finals of a major tournament remains undimmed.

A slew of retirements since thelast February’s failed Olympic qualification bidtournament has left the 28-year-old Butler and his Glenanne clubmate Graham Shaw as the Irish squad’s elder statesmen.

However, Butler — also Ireland’s record goalscorer — told Southern Fried he has no intention of winding up his international career anytime soon.

“I’ll be 32 at the next Olympics — if I get that far! — but most international players peak between 29 and 32,” he said.

“I’ve said it before to the team, I think we’re all the same — we haven’t made a major tournament yet, and we all want to do it; the World Cup is my major goal.”

Butler added that new Irish coach Revington has already left a positive impression on him.

“I think he’s going to freshen it up, he will be a huge benefit to Irish hockey and will help both the experienced players and the younger ones,” he said.

“Paul is the right man to take the next steps. He’s only 35, but maybe that’s a good thing; like Arul (Anthoni, Glennane coach) he’s very energetic and I’m sure he’ll make a great impression on the lads.”

Elsewhere, the Irish Hockey League committee has set Sunday, December 14 as the date for postponedrefixed games, after six of the 12 matches at the weekend fell victim to the cold weather.

The committee has also confirmed that the Ireland U18 boys trial, scheduled for the same day, has been postponed as a result, and that the abandoned matches between Cookstown and Annadale, and Monkstown and Lisnagarvey, will be replayed in their entirety.

The news will come as no comfort to Annadale in particular — they were 4-1 up against Ulster champions Cookstown before the umpires called a haltwell into the third quarter at Coolnafranky on Saturday.

While EuroHockey League rules — which the IHL is based on — state that abandoned matches should be resumed from where they were stopped, this is based on games being resumed during the same weekend, where squads are together in one place.

The two-week gap between the refixtures — and possibility for movements in and out of squads in the meantime — dictates that the IHL games be replayed in full.

A late purple patch saw Glens pick up a bonus point with a 4-1 win at Harlequin Park that leaves Quins’ hopes of making the last four of the Irish Hockey League already in jeopardy.

But it was the frayed tempers that captivated the attention of a disappointingly small crowd, with umpire Chris McConkey bearing the brunt of some harsh verbals from Graham Shaw, while Quins’ David Lombard squared up to Glenanne coach Arul Anthoni late on.

Quins' Dave Lombard squares up to Glenanne coach Arul Anthoni as tempers fray at Harlequin Park. Picture: Tim Fitzgerald

Amazingly, just two green cards were shown as the umpires displayed admirable restraint, but the final hooter didn’t bring any easing of the tensions, with both lodging formal complaints with the technical bench.

However, Butler — Ireland’s most capped current player and all-time top goalscorer — insisted there is no ongoing niggle between the sides, despite the fractious nature of their past three encounters.

“It’s purely down to the fact that both teams are so competitive,” he said. “I know that when we come off the pitch, we’ll go inside and we’ll all be buddies. That’s the way I think the game should be played.

“It’s always tough coming down here but we always enjoy it, they’re a very similar side to us. We put in a good performance; it was on the rocks for a while but we took our chances and worked really hard, which is something we [weren’t doing] at the start of the season.”

Butler’s low drag from a short corner saw Glens hit the front after 11 minutes, only for Dan Hobbs to cancel it out with an identical score 11 minutes later.

Quins sorely missed Richard Gash and the suspended Paul Lombard up front, and failed to create any clear-cut chances, despite having an even share of possession. Time and time again, Mark Black in particular ran into blind alleyways, without

The closest they came was on 30 minutes, when Sean Nicholson fed Geert Fromme, but his powerful drive was deflected over the top.

Glens proved far better at getting to the endline to create chances from play, but the final ball invariably left them down until a 15-minute purple patch late on saw them claim the win that puts them in the driving seat of Pool A.

First, Butler roofed a drag on 52 minutes, before Enda Tucker potted the ball home three minutes later after Chris Daunt had superbly knocked saved another Butler short corner effort onto the post.

Quins' Karen Bateman attempts to block a Pembroke clearance. Picture: Tim Fitzgerald

And Gary Shaw claimed the only goal from play with four minutes to go, slotting a reverse under Daunt after a long ball from the left had evaded the Quins cover.

Elsewhere, the cold snap played havoc with astroturf pitches around the country, with both other games in Pool A — Instonians’ clash with Pembroke and the Ulster derby between Annadale and Cookstown —
abandoned due to frost and ice.

The same fate befell Monkstown’s clash with Lisnagarvey and Fingal’s meeting with Three Rock Rovers in Pool B, though Banbridge’s game with Cork Church of Ireland went ahead despite freezing fog and sub-zero temperatures at Havelock Park.

The hosts put a serious dent in C of I’s hopes of progression thereafter, coming from behind to win 2-1.
Stephen Parker’s deft touch gave C of I a 16th-minute lead as they dominated the opening quarter, and returning keeper Mark Ruddle kept out Ross McCandless’ drag to keep them in front at half-time.

But Richie Dorman’s sin-binning on 40 minutes handed the initiative to Bann, who equalised just a minute
later when Stephen Dowds hammered home a loose ball, before McCandless hit the winner with a drag to the top-left corner.

John Jermyn had just one opportunity to put his superb drag-flicking technique to good use with five minutes to go, but Gareth Lennox saved superbly, and there was still time for Dowds to miss a gilt-edged chances before the hooter.

Four of the six games survived the weather in the women’s IHL, with Belfast Harlequins’ 5-1 rout of Cork
C of I in Pool A providing the biggest surprise of the day.

The northererners had leaked five goals on the opening day at Loreto bcut they cut loose in the final quarter to win handsomely after C of I’s Julie O’Sullivan had cancelled out Kellie Thornton’s opener.

Thornton went on to complete a hat-trick in the final minutes, with Clare Coey grabbing a double to
delight the Deramore crowd.

However, Cork Harlequins made sure the weekend wasn’t a total wipe-out for Munster sides, with Karen Bateman getting the only goal in a poor clash with Pembroke Wanderers in Pool B.

Quins had trouble with their short corner routines all day, but Bateman made her 27th-minute effort count with the aid of a wicked deflection that saw the ball sail high over the stranded Jane Coyne.

Coyne saved well from Bateman and Rachael Kohler to ensure the Dubliners left with a bonus point, though it could have been more had Emily MacNicholas not shot wide when clean through on Quins netminder Amy O’Neill late in the second half.

Floodlights pierce the freezing fog at Ardmore as Armagh takes on Hermes. Picture: Deryck Vincent

Elsewhere, converted midfielder Cecilia Joyce hit a hat-trick of deflections in a virtuoso forward’s display as Railway Union bounced back from a heartbreaking defeat to Pegasus last time out to rout Randalstown 6-2 at Park Avenue.

Meanwhile, late goals from Jenny Kinch and Gillian Pinder gave Hermes the sole 100% record in the women’s tournament with a 2-0 win at Armagh.

Domestically, it was a good day for Leinster side Old Alex, who firstly gate-crashed the top four with a 2-1 win over UCD, then confirmed the signing of South African international Leslie Ann George.

The 23-year-old, who already has almost a century of caps to her name, will link up with coach Arul Anthoni, who she worked under at the SA hockey academy, on a three-month deal while she is on summer break from university.

In Munster, the majority of fixtures fell victim to the weather, with just seven women’s games surviving the frost.

A double from Kym Daly helped Catholic Institute to a 3-1 win over UL in the Examiner Cup, while in Division Two, Ashton and Cork Harlequins recorded their second wins of the season courtesy of 4-1 wins over Moyne/Thurles and UCC respectively.

Clashes between these two in recent seasons have yielded plenty of entertainment, with 13 goals coming in their past two meetings.

But there’s unlikely to be a shortage of needle either, dating back to an ill-tempered Irish Senior Cup semi-final encounter at the same venue two seasons ago.

John Hobbs (left) is set to wear the captain's armband for Quins in the absence of Paul Lombard, who is suspended. Picture: Adrian Boehm

Glens came back from 3-1 down to win that day, prompting then-skipper John Goulding to confidently proclaim that his side were certain to go on and win the final.

They duly dispatched Annadale 4-3, which came as no consolation to 2006 champions Quins, who had seen a late David Egner equaliser given, then subsequently chalked off in the semi-final.

Glens subsequently scuppered Quins’ Club Championship ambitions last term, battling to a thrilling 3-3 draw.

Paul Lombard picked up a red card in that game which means he is suspended for tomorrow’s clash, with John Hobbs taking over the captaincy in his absence.

However, manager Donal Kingston insisted history won’t count for much when the sides meet again.

“I don’t think the previous games will play a part; there’s been a lot of change in the teams, lots of new fellas who wouldn’t be familiar with the past,” he said.

“Obviously, there is motivation in terms of wanting to prove you can beat a team who have turned you over in the past.”

Quins lost their opening IHL encounter 2-1 at Pembroke Wanderers last month but picked up a losing bonus point, and have hit some notable form since.

“We’ve been playing well all season but we weren’t sharp enough against C of I (lost 2-0) or Pembroke so we didn’t get the results,” Kingston explained.

“But we picked up our form and got a great result in Garryduff (defeating C of I 4-2 in the Peard Cup) and three of those goals came from play, which helps the confidence. If you’re not as reliant on short corners that helps everybody.”

Meanwhile, Glenanne’s Stephen Butler goes into this game with an endorsement from new Irish coach Paul Revington ringing in his ears.

C of I's Jonny Bruton returns to Havelock Park, where he scored on his international debut last weekend, as his side take on Banbridge. Picture: Adrian Boehm

Ireland’s most-capped international missed last weekend’s three-game series against Scotland due to work commitments, sparking speculation over his future commitment.

But Revington insisted the 28-year-old was “absolutely and utterly part of the plan”, adding that it would be a “folly” for a new coach to discard a man with 70 goals to his credit.

Butler insists his desire to reach the finals of a major tournament still burns brightly, but for now he will be focused on inflicting more misery on Quins.

Elsewhere in Pool A, the meeting of Pembroke and Instonians will evoke memories for both sides of the 2007 Irish Senior Cup semi-final, when Inst reeled in a 3-0 deficit in the final ten minutes, only to be beaten by a golden goal in extra-time.

Pembroke will be without Irish international defender Tim Lewis, who suffered a nasty mouth injury against Scotland last weekend, but German Florian Richter will be involved.

Inst have picked up just seven points from six games in Ulster this season, but are still within touching distance of leaders Cookstown in an ultra-competitive league.

They welcome back former Irish captain Paddy Brown, but are still without long-term injury victims Mark Gleghorne and Steven Redpath.

The other meeting in the pool sees an all-Ulster clash between Cookstown and Annadale, with the former’s Andy Barbour is the only major injury worry for either side.

In Pool B, Three Rock Rovers put an unbeaten run stretching back to February’s Leinster Senior Cup loss to Glenanne on the line when they travel to ALSAA to play Fingal.

The treatment room is still doing overtime at Grange Road as Rovers coach Turloch Ó Siocháin gets to grips with a raft of injuries, but the country’s most dangerous striking partnership of Mitch Darling and Peter Blakeney remains intact.

Rovers will also welcome back Kyle Good and Neal Megarity from Leinster U18 duty, and Spanish import Ferran Pijoran Bori is set to make his IHL debut.

Fingal, surprise leaders in Leinster until recently, will be looking to bounce back from a 6-2 mauling at the hands of Cork C of I last time out, but are sweating on the fitness of Paddy Gahan and Chris Neville, with Ben Chillingworth definitely ruled out.

Elsewhere, C of I’s Jonny Bruton will be hoping Havelock Park – where he scored the winner against Scotland on his international debut last Sunday – continues to be a happy hunting ground as the Munster champions travel to play Banbridge.

Alan Sothern will be hoping to continue his recent free-scoring form as Pembroke travel to Instonians. Picture: Adrian Boehm

The final game in Pool B sees Lisnagarvey go in search of revenge for last season’s Irish Senior Cup semi-final defeat to Monkstown when the sides meet at Rathdown.

In the women’s IHL, Belfast Harlequins will be hoping the good vibes from Ulster’s dramatic U18 interpros win last weekend rubs off, as they welcome back teen starlets Jenna Watt, Kirsty Lammey and Ruth Millar for their clash with C of I.

The Cork girls weren’t as convincing as they would have liked in a 1-0 win over Randalstown on day one, but they will benefit from a useful friendly hit-out against local rivals Quins last Friday night, played under IHL rules.

Elsewhere in Pool A, Randalstown visit Leinster pace-setters Railway Union, while Pegasus – again utterly dominant in Ulster this season, having yet to concede a league goal – travel to Beaufort to take on pool leaders Loreto.

In Pool B, Cork Harlequins will look to build on the valuable draw earned at Ballymoney when they host Pembroke, whose Jekyll and Hyde form domestically makes this a tough one to call.

Hermes welcome back ex-international Jenny Burke as they take on Armagh, who are without long-term injury victims Steph Quinn and Irish Examiner Junior Sports Star Amy Stewart, for the first time ever.

Finally, Mary Logue’s UCD side, riding high in Leinster this season, lock horns with Ballymoney at Belfield. The northerners will be boosted by the return of former Irish captain Lynsey McVicker, who has returned from her honeymoon.

Quins faced down two of their former stars in twins Conor and David Harte, while former president Frank Gormley, now president at Pembroke, watched from the sideline as a high-tempo game packed with incident unfolded.

Pembroke hit the front on 30 minutes when Irish international defender Tim Lewis deflected home Sothern’s drag-flick, but Quins were level four minutes later when Dan Hobbs beat David Harte with a precise drag.

Quins' Jason Black gets his cross in against Pembroke Wanderers. Picture: Deryck Vincent

Despite being down to nine players at one stage, with both Gordon and Maurice Elliot in the sin-bin, Pembroke went back in front on 45 minutes when Sothern rifled home a drag-flick. They held that lead until the end, though Quins made the journey back to Cork with a bonus point that might prove vital later on.

Cork C of I made hard work of their home tie against Fingal, but their superior fitness told in the second half as they cruised to a 6-2 win.

The visitors took a shock lead on seven minutes when Adrian Sweeney tapped home Eamonn Bane’s cross, but C of I were level within five minutes thanks to a stunning strike from Andy Herbert, who directed a diving reverse home from the edge of the circle.

John Jermyn roofed a drag-flick from a short corner on 24 minutes to give the hosts the lead, but the Airport side weren’t lying down, and they grabbed an equaliser three minutes later in scrappy fashion.

There appeared to be little danger when David Bane was closed down by Adam Pritchard and Andy Chambers close to the goal on the endline. But Bane found a path past ‘keeper Billy Lynch at the near post, and Paddy Gahan was on hand to tap home after the shot rebounded off the upright.

But C of I simply owned the second half, with the visitors clearly out on their feet after their exertions in the first period. David Hobbs scored on 47 minutes after his short-corner push-out was returned to him in a well-worked move, his shot creeping over the line after a deflection off Fingal netminder Nigel Grother.

Jermyn rifled home a second drag on 50 minutes to push his side out to 4-2, before Roger Gray’s neat reverse five minutes later made the game safe.

Quins' John Hobbs (left) celebrates his brother Dan's (right) goal against Pembroke. Former Quins player David Harte (centre) was in goal for Pembroke. Picture: Deryck Vincent

Former HGC hitman Jermyn put the icing on the cake nine minutes from time by completing his hat-trick with a carbon copy of his first two.

C of I had another effort from Alec Moffett ruled out for use of the foot, though Fingal captain Brian Scully earned his second yellow card of the game for protesting the initial decision.

Three Rock Rovers earned a modicum of revenge for their Irish Senior Cup exit at the hands of Monkstown last season, eventually running out 4-2 winners at Grange Road.

The Glenageary outfit looked to have snatched a draw when they reeled in a 2-0 deficit, but late goals form Irish internationals Phelie Maguire and Peter Blakeney gave Rovers the points.

Three Rock hit the front with a superb team goal a minute into the second quarter, despite being down to ten men following Ali Haughton’s unceremonious shove on Gareth Watkins.

Michael Maguire stole the ball on the half-way and finding Darling in acres of space on the left of the circle. He had time to line up a tracer-bullet cross which the sliding Tim Hill added a fine touch.

The doubled their advantage when Blakeney clubbed the ball past the excellent David Fitzgerald, who had blocked Mitch Darling’s reverse.

But Monkstown weren’t dow and out yet, and Alec Barrett got one back from Ian Allen’s excellent pull-back, before Stephen Cole levelled with an incredible deflection.

With the ball slammed in behind his back from a right-wing free, Cole managed to redirect the ball into the net from behind his back.

But Rovers struck two hammer blows in the final four minutes. First, an attempted pass from Maguire was agonisingly deflected past Fitzgerald by a defender’s stick, before a length-of-the-field move finished with Blakeney diving in to direct Darling’s centre to the backboard.

Pembroke players react to a miss by Alan Giles (centre). Picture: Deryck Vincent

Banbridge ousted old rivals Lisnagarvey 2-0 at Havelock Park thanks to strikes in each half from Ross McCandless and Simon Magowan.

The hosts opened their account on 13 minutes when McCandless, one of three brothers in the Bann squad, beat Kevin Lunn with a powerful low drag.

Jason Lynch, Tim Cockram and Mark Raphael all threatened for ‘Garvey throughout, but they couldn’t find an equaliser and Magowan made them pay for having two players off the pitch, puncing on a rebound after Lunn had saved well from Geoff McCabe.

A flurry of corners on both sides in the final minutes failed to trouble the scoreboard, ensuring Bann got their IHL campaign off to the best possible start on home turf.

There was no such luck for Cookstown however, who will consider their 1-1 draw at Instonians a missed opportunity rather than two points gained.

Injusry-hit Inst have had a troubled start to the season in Ulster, with a 5-0 thumping at the hands of Lisnagarvey the nadir, and they started without defensive totem Paddy Browne, hitman Mark Gleghorne and recent recruit Steven Redpath.

Things looked ominous for the hosts when David Ames crashed the ball home on 17 minutes, though the goal drew ultimately fruitless protests from Inst, who believed Ames had used his body in the process.

But Inst didn’t take long to level via a trademark Chris Barnes effort from a short corner, and a frantic final few minutes saw both sides fail to find a winner.

In the women’s IHL, Cork Harlequins withstood a late surge from Ballymoney to claim a hard-earned 1-1 draw at the Joey Dunlop Centre on Saturday.

Quins headed north without talismanic skipper Eimear Cregan, but were nonetheless seeking revenge after a 2-1 home defeat to ‘Money in last season’s Irish Senior Cup.

Munster native Karen Hales celebrates her opening goal against Armagh. Picture: Adrian Boehm

Things didn’t look good when experienced Irish international defender Bridget McKeever fired home a reverse from the top of the circle on 16 minutes, and the hosts dominated the rest of the half as they went for the jugular.

But Amy O’Neill had a superb game for the second week in a row, thwarting a series of efforts from the northerners.

Quins made ‘Money pay – not quite literally – with their sole short corner of the match, McKeever’s Irish defensive colleague Cliodhna Sargent firing past Sammy-Jo Greer for a share of the points.

Cork C of I’s lack of a clinical finisher again looked set to haunt them as they spurned a hatful of chances at home to Randalstown, but Mel Ryan made one effort count to secure a 1-0 win.

Julie O’Sullivan was the guiltiest party for the home side in the first half, dragging the ball wide from point-blank range after her first shot was saved by Emma Teggarty.

Randalstown, whose Irish internationals Shirley McCay, Emma Clarke and Clare Parkhill all sought pastures now over the summer, were barely in the game, but they fashioned a superb chance just before half-time.

Vanessa Surgeoner put Rebecca Winnington one-on-one with C of I netminder Zoe Cremin – who stepped in at short notice after Orla McCarthy was ruled out – but Cremin did superbly to force her wide, and Eimear Connery got back to clear off the line.

Ireland A starlet Rebecca Dallas showed some nice touches for the visitors, but it was largely one-way traffic with C of I forcing nine short corners to Randalstown’s three.

Armagh goalscorer Emma Stewart beats a Pembroke defender. Picture: Adrian Boehm

They finally made one count on 51 minutes, when the ball was worked left to Ryan, whose slap found the bottom corner to give Phil Oakley’s side the points.

Elsewhere, Louisa Moore underlined her importance to Pembroke Wanderers‘ cause when she struck the winner six minutes from time as the Dubliners defeated Armagh 2-1 at Serpentine Avenue.

The northerners were once again without injured Irish internationals Steph Quinn and Amy Stewart, but they had the better of the first half with Amy’s sister Emma to the fore.

But it was the hosts who broke the deadlock on 50 minutes, with Munster native Karen Hales’ deflected effort finding the backboard.

Stewart roofed an equaliser on 63 minutes, but Moore broke the young Armagh side’s hearts 60 seconds later when she rifled home after a one-two with Katherine Duff.

More than anything else, Irish hockey’s movers and shakers are striving to make the new competition, which pits the country’s top club sides against each other in a league format for the first time, an attractive product for the punter.

To this end, clubs are being encouraged to stage half-time skills competitions, underage matches and corporate lunches on match days.

The adoption of a new set of rules, largely borrowed from the EuroHockey League (EHL), are aimed specifically at speeding the game up, and ball boys and girls must be provided by each club to ensure not a moment is wasted.

Two of the more notable introductions are the splitting of the game into 17.5-minute quarters, which has predictably gone down well with coaches, and the “auto-pass” rule, which allows players to take free hits to themselves.

C of I's David Hobbs (left) believes his side have no reason to fear any team in the IHL. Picture: Adrian Boehm

In addition, green cards now carry a two-minute suspension, and umpires will be particularly on the lookout for deliberate breakdowns of play and backchat in this regard.

Teams are also being incentivised to play attacking hockey, with the introduction of a rugby-style bonus point system. This awards teams an extra point for winning by two goals or more, while teams losing by less than two will earn a bonus point in defeat.

Cork Church of Ireland’s David Hobbs, a veteran before his time at 26 years-old having amassed well over a century of Irish caps, can see some potential kinks to iron out with the new rules, but admits time will tell if they prove successful.

“I’m not sure yet if they will speed the game up, we’ve only used the new rules in two training games so far,” he says.

“Getting more breaks can be good from a coaching aspect, because if there’s a problem you can find a solution sooner, rather than having to wait until half-time. Either way, we’re still going to be trying to play a quick, attacking style of hockey.

“I can forsee the two-minute suspensions for green cards being a problem, with teams having a lot of people off the pitch, I’d imagine for us there’ll be times when we’ll have guys off the pitch for silly things as well. They may need to look at it again.”

C of I have the bonus of having John Jermyn, who spent last year playing under the EHL rules with Dutch club HGC, in their side, but the likelihood is that every club will be in the same boat this weekend.

One thing Hobbs is certain about is that Munster clubs C of I and Cork Harlequins stand to gain the most from the new league, given the relative weakness of the province’s domestic league.

“It suits ourselves and Quins, big time,” said Hobbs. “We’ve been looking for it for a long time. Youngsters coming through with us who would be playing against poor opposition down here will now be playing against good teams, so it will definitely progress things.

“It’s always nice to play big games in front of big crowds against decent teams, rather than your usual bog-standard domestic games. I hope it will attract the crowds, I can certainly forsee a big crowd for the first game, after that it’s about getting the marketing right and playing the right style of hockey to keep people interested.”

Both Munster clubs were ardent supporters of the IHL from the outset, reasoning that the lack of competition in their backyard was affecting their chances in national cup competitions. But Hobbs feels they have as good a chance as anyone in a league format.

Quins' Paul Lombard disputes a decision. Umpires and players may clash this weekend over the interpretation and application of a raft of new rules. Picture: Adrian Boehm

“Cup competitions are a one-off, but we can go into this league fully confident that we can compete with anyone, and not be afraid of anyone,” he says.

“On our day we’re capable of taking any of those teams; I might as well say it, I’m confident in what we can do once we start playing well.”

Irish women’s coach Gene Muller has also lent his support to the tournament, which he believes will see players set higher barometers for themselves.

“This newly constructed league is a great boost, and it should add a more competitive balanced edge for the top premier league players, as well as helping some players reaching higher targets all the way to senior international standard,” he said.

The good vibrations surrounding the new league have, however, been sullied somewhat by off-field sideshows that have arisen before a ball has been hit in anger.

Some club officials have raised concerns over prize money, with just €2,000 going to each of the men’s and women’s winners, and the lack of a title sponsor for the men’s event, though progression on the latter will see the kitty revised upwards for both men’s and women’s competitions.

Furthermore, some Leinster clubs feel their IHL qualification chances will be disproportionally hindered by the restrictions on the amount of domestic games their Irish internationals can play (14 for men, 10 for women), as they have up to six more league fixtures than their Munster and Ulster counterparts.

As with the new rules, compromise will almost certainly be needed on these issues down the line; in the meantime, picking a winner in either league is proving just as troublesome.

Craig Fulton’s star-studded Pembroke Wanderers outfit and national champions Three Rock Rovers will start as favourites on paper for the men’s title, but of the remaining ten sides, only Monkstown and Fingal are unlikely to have realistic ambitions of going all the way.

On the women’s side, Pegasus and Hermes have shared the last 11 national titles, but Railway Union are the country’s form side so far this term, and Loreto cannot be discounted when they have all five of their Irish internationals in situ.

But then, as the players are about to find out, half the fun of this tournament will rest on its unpredictability. Irish hockey can only hope the paying public feels the same way.

Instonians vs Cookstown (Shaw’s Bridge, Saturday, 5.30pm)

Inst remedied a wretched start to the season in Ulster with a 4-1 win over Mossley last weekend, but whether they have shaken off the shock of losing 5-0 to Lisnagarvey a fortnight ago remains to be seen. Their talismanic drag-flicker Mark Gleghorne is still recovering from shoulder surgery, while Ulster champions Cookstown are brimming with confidence after two wins from two and a slew of international call-ups. We’re backing them to pick up an invaluable win on the road here. Verdict: Cookstown

Pembroke's Conor Harte, who broke his collarbone in this tackle against Fingal last season, is back to face his old club, Cork Harlequins. Picture: Adrian Boehm

Pembroke Wanderers vs Cork Harlequins (Serpentine Avenue, Saturday, 5pm)

Off-field distractions surrounding their decision to snub the Neville Cup in lieu of playing a pre-season tournament in England meant the new term didn’t get off to the best of starts for Pembroke. They once again failed to put away Three Rock in their first league outing, but Alan Sothern and Conor Harte – who along with twin brother David will be facing his former club on Saturday – picked up doubles in a 5-1 defeat of YMCA last weekend. They will be given a stern examination by Quins, but should still have too much firepower for the Cork outfit, who come into the game off a 2-0 loss to C of I and are without hitman Richard Gash. It’s also sure to be a special occasion for Pembroke president Frank Gormley, father of Irish captain Ronan, who is a former president of Quins. Verdict: Pembroke Wanderers

Annadale vs Glenanne (Jordanstown, Sunday, 2.30pm)

These two contested a rollercoaster of an Irish Senior Cup final two seasons ago, with Glens eventually running out 4-3 winners, but have since fallen somewhat off the pace. Both have experienced unremarkable starts to their domestic campaigns this term, though Annadale can point to the fact that they have had to face down Cookstown (4-2 defeat) and Banbridge (2-2) so far. There’s no excuse for Glens however, who will be particularly concerned at the defensive frailties that have seen them leak seven goals in three games.They have had to come from behind in all three of their games against Leinster’s lesser lights Kilkenny, Railway Union and Corinthians. But the firepower provided by Graham Shaw, Eddie O’Malley and Stephen Butler usually gets them out of a hole, and we’re backing them to pile on the misery for the ‘Dale. Verdict: Glenanne

Mitch Darling, seen here celebrating one of his five goals in the Club Championships semi-final against Lisnagarvey last season, will be vital to Three Rock's hopes. Picture: Adrian Boehm

Men’s Pool B

Three Rock Rovers vs Monkstown (Grange Road, Saturday, 3.30pm)

The first round of the IHL will provide welcome experience of continental rules for Three Rock ahead of their EHL assignment in Lille at the end of the month, and Turloch O’Siocháin’s side will be confident of an opening day win on home turf. Most coaches would gladly cut off a limb for the forward duo of Mitch Darling and Peter Blakeney, but Three Rock’s attacking riches will hold no fears for Monkstown keeper David Fitzgerald. He was the Glenageary side’s hero when they ousted their Dublin rivals from the Irish Senior Cup last term, thwarting 18 short corners and two Peter McConnell penalty strokes in the process. However, the lack of a specialist drag-flicker continues to hinder Monkstown, and revenge should be motive enough for Three Rock to take the points. Verdict: Three Rock 

Banbridge vs Lisnagarvey (Havelock Park, Saturday, 7pm)

It may be a brand new league, but there’s nothing new about this ongoing Ulster rivalry. Bann are handful for any side on home turf, and in Eugene Magee boast one of the true world-class Irish players in their ranks. But they are far from a one man show, with their XI backboned by a trio of McCandless brothers, while Magee’s international colleague Geoff McCabe marshals the midfield. Young Stephen Dowds is their one to watch, having top-scored at the EuroHockey U16 Youth Nations championships during the summer. Garvey are proving as unpredictable as ever this term, following up a 5-0 thrashing of Instonians with a 3-1 defeat at Cookstown. They possess one of the country’s premier drag-flickers in Tim Cockram, while Cork’s Jason Lynch has added a valuable creative outlet, but provided Bann keeper Gareth Lennox has gotten over a case of the yips suffered in a 4-4 draw with Bangor, home advantage should win the day here. Verdict: Banbridge

Cork C of I vs Fingal (Garryduff, Saturday, 4pm)

Having narrowly lost out to Monkstown for the final automatic qualification spot in Leinster last season, Fingal’s IHL dream nearly unravelled completely when they had to reverse a two-goal deficit against Bandon in the wildcard playoffs. But they have made a promising start domestically this term, taking seven points from nine, with teenage forwards Mark Ryan and Andrew Shekleton making a big impression. Nonetheless, it is hard to look beyond C of I for this one, particularly at home. Stephen Jackson’s side, which boasts four Irish internationals, are one of the finest attacking outfits in the country when their minds are on the job, and Billy Lynch’s form between the sticks has meant they have hardly missed long-term injury victim Mark Ruddle. A 2-0 win over arch-rivals Quins last weekend has their tails up, and it could be a long day for Fingal unless they can frustrate the hosts early on. Verdict: Cork C of I

Women’s Pool A

Cork C of I vs Randalstown (Garryduff, Saturday, 2pm)

Phil Oakley’s C of I side endured a miserable, winless Club Championships outing in May, and a 2-0 defeat to Quins last weekend set them back some big early-season wins. However, they can take solace from the fact that they dominated that match for long periods, and in Lauragh O’Neill they have unearthed a potentially lethal drag-flicker. The loss of internationals Emma Clarke and Shirley McCay has severely weakened Randalstown, who come into the game off the back of a disappointing goalless draw at home to Lurgan, though they will welcome back underage international Rebecca Dallas. Provided Deirdre Casey can stamp her authority on midfield early on – and they address a profligacy in front of goal – this could be the perfect confidence booster for C of I. Verdict: Cork C of I

Jean McDonnell has played a vital part in Railway's superb start to the season. Picture: Adrian Boehm

Pegasus vs Railway Union (Jordanstown, Sunday, 4pm)

Easily the most intriguing of the women’s matches. This trip to Belfast is a chance for Mick McKinnon’s Railway to prove their credentials on a national level, having had a whirlwind start domestically, with Hermes among the scalps as they took maximum points from their first three encounters. Despite losing out to Hermes in last season’s Club Championships semi-final, Pegasus are still the standard bearers for women’s hockey in Ireland, enabling them to attract the best young talent. Ireland A co-captain Michelle Harvey made the move from Victorians over the summer, and alongside fellow internationals Kate McConnell and Alex Speers, represents the youthful exuberance to compliment the vast experience of Arlene Boyles, Suzanne Beaney and Claire McMahon. While we still wouldn’t be unduly surprised if Railway snuck a win here, Pegasus’ desire to make a statement of intent should see them take this one. Verdict: Pegasus

Loreto vs Belfast Harlequins (Loreto Beaufort, Sunday, 3pm)

On paper, this is the most predictable of the IHL ties for both sexes. It’s difficult to pinpoint a weak link in this Loreto outfit, with Armagh recruit Lizzie Colvin adding to the phalanx of international talent in the side. While they may still be without injury victim Hannah Matthews, they also boast a couple of other young stars, notably Zara Delany, and will be confident of recording a comfortable opening win on home turf. Despite the inclusion of one of Ireland’s better players, Jenny McDonough, in their side, Harlequins lack the overall quality to challenge at this level, though Ruth Millar and Judy Getty are capable of chipping in with the odd goal. A strong team ethic that saw them grind out the necessary results in the wildcard playoffs should ensure they won’t be cannon fodder, but it’s hard to see anything other than a Loreto win. Verdict: Loreto

Women’s Pool B

Pembroke Wanderers vs Armagh (Serpentine Avenue, Saturday, 2.30pm)

Pembroke have weathered the loss of seven first-teamers surprisingly well, and they had the pleasure of showing a trio that defected to Bray what they were missing with a 3-1 win. Louisa Moore has been in sparkling form in her first full campaign for the Serpentine Avenue side, and provides a huge threat at short corner time. Hockey followers have been waiting for Armagh, who possess arguably the most talented young squad in the country, to explode for the past few seasons, but they have gone off the boil somewhat this term. They are pointless after two games domestically, and teen sensation Amy Stewart’s ankle problems have robbed them of a major goalscoring outlet. They may come good once again later in the season, but this should be Pembroke’s day. Verdict: Pembroke Wanderers

Ballymoney vs Cork Harlequins (Joey Dunlop Centre, Saturday, 2.30pm)

‘Money were the bridesmaids of Irish hockey last term, though Pegasus can’t have made for an attractive bride in their eyes. The Belfast outfit beat them to the league title and saw them off in the finals of the Irish Senior Cup and Winemark Shield, so ‘Money won’t be short of motivation this term. Megan Frazer and Lynsey McVicker provide the bullets for the Antrim outfit, with Bridget McKeever shoring things up at the back alongside talented teenage netminder Sammy-Jo Greer. However, Quins will be out to exact some revenge after their home defeat to the same opposition last term. Rachael Kohler is still a class act in midfield, and they have excellent totems in attack and defence too in the form of Eimear Cregan and Cliodhna Sargent. They showed their battling qualities last weekend without their international duo, defeating C of I 2-0 despite ceding the majority of possession, but it would still be a shock if they were to get anything more than a draw out of this one. Verdict: Ballymoney

Chloe Watkins (background) is the jewel in the crown in Hermes' battalion of young starlets. Picture: Deryck Vincent

UCD vs Hermes (Belfield, Sunday, 2pm)

Despite coach Colin Stewart’s frequent protestations last term that Hermes were a side in transition, his young side made a mockery of such modest ambitions by dramatically winning the Club Championships, an Aoife Harte golden goal giving them a 1-0 final victory over Loreto. They are beginning to rival Armagh in the production line stakes, with a side littered with underage interpro and international stars, including Gillian Pinder – who has hit three in her last two games – Niamh Atcheler, last season’s goalscoring sensation Anna O’Flanagan and the precocious Chloe Watkins, who is widely regarded as the most promising talent in the women’s game. UCD, who won the wildcard playoff, exacting revenge for their intervarsity loss to UCC in the process, are a game outfit but it’s hard to see how they can overcome the loss of Christine Quinlan – who has returned to this weekend’s opponents – and the Flinn sisters. Verdict: Hermes