Divisional round-up

This is the first of what I hope will be a series of divisional round-ups, to be filed every couple of weeks. I’d love to be able to give the lower divisions the same time, attention and coverage as the top-level stuff on week-by-week basis, but unfortunately there’s only so much one man can do and I simply don’t have the time! 🙁 If you want to help these round-ups be more detailed and accurate for your team and club in the future, feel free to email match reports to munsterhockeyblog(at)gmail(dot)com or by using the Contact form on the site. The same goes for pictures – at the moment the only up-to-date ones I know of are on the UCC MHC, and Catholic Institute websites, but if anyone has any other links to photos please post them in the comments. Thanks! Men’s Division 2 Cork C of I C have come out with a flurry of punches in the opening rounds of this division, and have a maximum six points from two games with 13 goals scored in the process. The return of David Herbert from UCC has been a big boon for this side; he has five goals to his credit already, including a hat-trick in the 8-0 demolition of Cork Harlequins C. But this division is inevitably the most competitive of the three men’s tiers, and the initial showings from two teams promoted via their own request – Ashton and UCC – suggests this won’t change anytime soon. Ashton have mopped up many of the players who left Belvedere after they decided to fold their first team, and already look stronger for it – a 5-3 loss to C of I C was no disgrace for a team that finished mid-table in Division Three last term, and Greg Chambers will be a noteworthy goal threat for them. UCC started off with a 3-1 win over a Galway side lacking both numbers and freshness (they had lost 2-0 to C of I D the night before), but the drip-feed of talent down through the club as a result of the influx of new players to the first team was very much in evidence. If College can build a team ethic that was missing in recent seasons, the likes of Mark Welch and Mark Barry will ensure they will surprise a few people. For Galway, Darren Fahy’s four goals in their three games suggests he will need to be tightly marked this term. Men’s Division 3 The early evidence from this division is that Quins D, who handed out some unmerciful hammerings en route to the league title last term, won’t find the going quite as easy this time around. To their credit, they have still three wins from three, but a 3-1 win over UCC C, a side they hammered 10-0 last term, suggests that either the students – who were largely comprised of beginners last year – are improving, or Quins are in decline. The truth probably lies somewhere in between; College’s subsequent 2-1 defeat of Limerick B – inspired by new signings Philip Brennan, Conor Cadogan and Colin Manning – shows they are coming on under the tutelage of Conor O’Kelly. For Quins, Ivan Bateman’s goals are proving decisive so far; he hit the winner in a 3-2 defeat of Belvedere and the 1-0 victory over Bandon C, and his double was the difference against College. However, they will be determined to turn more of the numerous chances they are able to create into goals. Belvedere can count themselves unlucky not to have a win under their belt so far; they also drew 3-3 in a cracker with Quins E. But with Derek O’Sullivan and Darren O’Sullivan once again in rich goalscoring form – they have scored all their side’s goals between them so far – they will be confident of turning things around. Midleton saw off C of I F 6-1 – with former Quins ladies coach Clive Seale bagging a hat-trick – to get their season off to a positive start, while Catholic Institute’s 6-2 win on the road at relegated Bandon C is the result of the season so far at this level. John Geary and Spanish recruit Albert Valls doing plenty of damage already for the Rosbrien side, who came from 2-1 down inside the first three minutes to blitz their hosts in west Cork. Women’s Division 2 Although just seven games have been completed  just far, the tit-for-tat nature of the results thus far suggests we could be in for a humdinger of a season in Division Two. Dave Egner’s Quins side lead the way on the table with two wins from two, but neither came easy. Denise O’Connor’s last-ditch strike gave them a 1-0 win over C of I that arguably should have been more comprehensive, while there was little love lost in a testy 2-1 win over Belvedere. They are joined at the top by Bandon, who were doffed 4-2 by Ashton on the opening weekend but have recovered to record 2-0 victories over C of I and UCC. Ashton, having started so well with that win, subsequently crashed 3-0 at Institute, who themselves were looking to bounce back from a 1-0 defeat at C of I. Confused yet? So are we, and if UCC can integrate their new faces sooner rather than later, things could be about to get even more competitive. Watch this space. Women’s Division 3 Things are more clear-cut in Division Three, where Fermoy and Cork C of I look like the teams to beat. The north Cork side have taken well to their new all-weather pitch, seeing off Waterford 3-1 in the first game on the new astro last week. Natalie Keniry and Trish Fitzpatrick have been in great form for a side that missed out on the title by just a point last term, the latter claiming a double in their 2-0 win on the road at Clonmel. The Tipperary outfit recovered from that setback to get off the mark with a 3-0 defeat of Belvedere, who claimed their first win of the season when Alyson Moore gave them victory over Harlequins last week. But it is C of I who have arguably looked the most complete team thus far; their most impressive result is also their most recent, as they spanked a UL team – who had two wins from two going into the game – 4-1 in Limerick. That followed up a 3-1 win over Quins – Judy Judge finding the net in both games – but C of I won’t have heard the last of UL yet. Laura Davis’s four goals inspired them to a 4-0 defeat of Dungarvan and a notable 3-2 win at Quins, showing they have handled the step up from Division Four with aplomb. For their part, Dungarvan recovered from their early setback in the Treaty city by claiming two points in a 1-1 draw with Clonmel, but the Co Waterford girls will need further improvement if they are to avoid a season scrapping around at the foot of the table. Women’s Division Four This looks to have the makings of a three-horse race for the title, with Tipperary, Limerick and Ashton all recording maximum points from their opening games. Tipp look the most accomplished of the lot, as nine goals scored in two outings with just one leaked at the other end would suggest. Remarkably, those strikes have been shared between eight players, with the 5-0 win at Bandon a real statement of intent. Former Munster U18 skipper Jenni Lyttle is spearheading Limerick’s challenge, and is showing a fondness for the water at Garryduff; she hit one of the goals of the season in a Munster shirt last term, and bagged a hat-trick in her side’s 4-0 win over C of I last weekend. The return of Emily Alice Daly from UCC and the continued good work at underage level is driving Ashton’s season so far; a 3-0 defeat of Fermoy and a workmanlike 1-0 win over Waterford suggests they will be difficult to beat. At the other end, UCC struggled last season but started reasonably well with a 1-1 draw at home to Bandon, but Cobh will be keen to get some points on the board after being unfortunate enough to run into Limerick and Tipp in the first couple of weekends. Waterford have neither a point or a goal to their name thus far, while Mallow – thanks to Noelle Sheahan’s strike in a 1-0 defeat of Waterford – and C of I have a win each so far. Women’s Division Five Limerick are also blazing a trail in Division Five, having chalked up three wins from three, scoring 11 times without reply. Rachel Brickenden, Elaine Meyler and Sinead McLoughlin already have two goals each to their name, having seen off Ashton and Clonmel at home while defeating C of I away. C of I are next in line, having taken five points from their other two games, a decent return given they involved trips to Clonmel and Belvedere, who also have five points. Clonmel and UCC come next with two points each, though the students have played a game less, while Ashton are bringing up the rear after defeats to Limerick and Belvedere. Women’s Division Six With just five games completed so far, it will take another few weeks before the patterns become clear in Division Six. Cobh have been the main winners so far, seeing off Dungarvan 2-0 and C of I 3-0. Lisa Harris and Laura Forrest look set to provide the goalscoring threat for the east Cork girls, having hit the target three times and twice respectively. C of I have also played three times but have won just once – Ruth O’Callaghan netting in a 1-0 victory over Belvedere. They are joined on three points by Quins – for whom Grace Kelleher hit a hat-trick in the 6-0 defeat of Limerick – and Bruff, who won their sole clash against Dungarvan 2-0 thanks to a Deirdre Fitzpatrick brace. UCC complete the division, but have yet to play a match.