College to lock horns with Railway

Young pretenders UCC will face a massive test of their credentials on the national stage when they host Ireland’s in-form team Railway Union in the first round of the revamped ESB Women’s Irish Senior Cup next month. College, replete with four Irish internationals, are threatening to break Cork Harlequins’ 13-year stranglehold in Munster this season, having inflicted a shock 3-0 defeat on them earlier this term. But they will be severely tested by Railway, who lead the way in Leinster by six points and have been rejuvenated under Mick McKinnon in the past 18 months. While they don’t suffer the loss of international players to the same extent as the likes of Loreto, the side boasts a number of class acts, such as Jean McDonnell, Cecilia Joyce and Cork’s own Emer Dillon. They also play some of the most entertaining hockey around, as anyone who watched them dismantle Randalstown 6-2 in the IHL recently will testify.

Elsewhere, Quins face a rematch with Ballymoney, who knocked them out of the tournament last year but have looked out of sorts this term. The sides drew 1-1 at the Joey Dunlop Centre in the IHL in October. Cork Church of Ireland have a bye to round two, while Hermes’ ongoing duel with UCD is the other tie of the round. In the men’s competition, Ulster kingpins Cookstown’s visit to Monkstown looks like the pick of the bunch. Cork Harlequins make a daunting trip to Instonians, who have finally found form after a rocky start to the season and have Mark Gleghorne back in harness after a long absence through injury. Bandon must travel to Fingal in a replay of last season’s Irish Hockey League wildcard playoff, which the west Cork men lost 3-2, while Munster champions Cork C of I have avoided the big guns but face a long jaunt to take on Antrim. Should they win their Irish Trophy quarter-final against NICS, UCC will have a bye to the second round, while a glamour tie with Glenanne awaits Catholic Institute if they can see off Suttonians first. Men’s Irish Senior Cup Draw Round 1 (January 24, 2009) YMCA v Pembroke Wanderers Kilkenny v Three Rock Rovers Fingal v Bandon Glenanne v Suttonians / Catholic Institute Monkstown v Cookstown Instonians v Cork Harlequins UCD v Bangor Raphoe v Banbridge Antrim v Cork C of I Byes to Round 2: Lisnagarvey, Corinthian, Mossley, Annadale, Railway Union, NICS or UCC, North Down ESB Irish Senior Cup Draw Round 1 (January 24, 2009) Ballymoney v Cork Harlequins Armagh v D Knock v Pembroke Wanderers Lisnagarvey v Bray Dublin Uni v Loreto Corinthian v Victorians Randalstown v B Ards v A C v Lurgan Hermes v UCD UCC v Railway Union Byes to Round 2: Belfast Harlequins; Glenanne; Old Alex; Pegasus; Cork C of I. A, B, C and D are qualifiers from the ESB Irish Hockey Trophy (the four semi-finalists) Men’s Irish Junior Cup Round 2 (January 17, 2009) Bandon II v Corinthian II Cookstown II v Lisnagarvey II Three Rock Rovers II v YMCA II Glenanne II v Bangor II Monkstown II v NICS II Pembroke II v Railway Union II Weston II v Cork C of I II Instonians II v Raphoe II ESB Irish Junior Cup Round 2 (January 17, 2009) UCC II v Railway Union II Three Rock Ladies II v Old Alex II Galway II v UCD II Pegasus II v Cork Harlequins II Armagh II v QUB II Cork C of I II v Ashton II Randalstown II v Hermes II Loreto II v Dublin University II ESB Irish Hockey Trophy – Postponed matches from December 13 Round 3 – January 10, 2009 Newbridge v Priorians Cookstown v Wexford Genesis v Dromore Ashton v QUB Three Rock Ladies v Bandon Round 4 – January 17, 2009 Ulster Elks v Ashton / QUB Cookstown/Wexford v Newbridge/Priorians TRL/Bandon v Catholic Institute Ballymena v Genesis/Dromore Men’s Irish Hockey Trophy – Postponed matches from December 13 Round 3 – January 10, 2009 Suttonians v Catholic Institute NICS v UCC Men’s Irish Hockey Challenge – Postponed matches from December 13 Round 1 – January 17, 2009 Mullingar v PSNI East Antrim v St James Gate Omagh v St Brendan’s Phoenix Park Men’s Irish Hockey Challenge Round 2 – January 31, 2009 Limerick/Down v Portrane Omagh/SBPP v Mullingar/PSNI Campbellians v Portrush Saintfield v East Antrim/St James Gate ESB Irish Hockey Challenge – Postponed matches from December 13 Round 1 – January 17, 2009 Dungarvan v Gorey Kilkenny II v Mallow Newry v Naas Grosvenor v Phoenix Park Clonmel v Enniscorthy Tipperary v Mullingar Athlone v Enniskillen ESB Irish Hockey Challenge Round 2 – January 31, 2009 Wexford II v Dungarvan/Gorey Clonmel/Enniscorthy v Kilkenny/Mallow Fermoy v Tipperary/Mullingar Athlone/Enniskillen v Renmore Raphoe v Greenfields II Athy v Newry/Naas YMCA v Newcastle Monkstown v Grosvenor/Phoenix Park