C of I Belfield-bound to take on champions

Defending champions UCD were handed the toughest tie of the ESB Irish Senior Cup first round on Sunday, with the news that Cork Church of Ireland will be the visitors to Belfield on October 10. Mary Logue’s students bridged a 58-year gap by shocking three-in-a-row-seeking Pegasus 4-1 in last season’s final, having also dispatched big guns Hermes and Loreto along the way.

The loss of Roisin Flinn to Old Alex and Holly Jenkinson to Railway Union has weakened them since then, but C of I are also in a transitional phase, having lost midfield totems Deirdre Casey and Michaela Mihailou to foreign climes. Cork Harlequins have been Munster’s most successful side in this competition in the recent times, and will be looking to do better than last term when they were dumped out 6-3 by Ballymoney at the first hurdle. They will welcome Belfast Harlequins to Harlequin Park. Hermes play Trinity in the only all-Leinster tie. Leinster league champions Railway travel to Victorians while Corinthian host last year’s finalists Pegasus. Pembroke face Lurgan on home turf while Glenanne have a tough opener at St Mark’s, facing IHT winners and ISC semi-finalists Ulster Elks. National champions Loreto and last year’s Munster runners-up UCC are among those who received byes to the second round, scheduled for November 7. First round draw (October 10): UCD v Cork C of Ireland; Cork Harlequins v Belfast Harlequins; Victorians v Railway Union; Corinthian v Pegasus; Pembroke Wanderers v Lurgan; Glenanne v Ulster Elks; Hermes v Dublin University Byes to second round (November 7): Ballymoney; Ards; Lisnagarvey; Loreto; Old Alex; Randalstown; UCC; Armagh; Bray