Jermyn back in green

John Jermyn has returned to the Irish international fold ahead of the side’s series of friendlies against the Netherlands in Seville, but there is still no sign of his Cork C of I club-mate David Hobbs in the squad. Jermyn has been absent from Paul Revington’s squads since he and Hobbs took a sabbatical from last summer’s Celtic Cup and Five Nations schedule, but the 111-times-capped midfielder is among an 18-strong panel named for a warm-weather programme in southern Spain. Tim Lewis (Crefelder, Germany) who missed most of the 2010 through injury, Mikey Watt (Santander, Spain) and Banbridge’s Bruce McCandless all return – the former due are among 12 foreign-based players in the squad. Alan Giles, Peter Caruth, Paul Gleghorne and Alan Sothern step out.

Back at home, Loreto’s visit to Queens to take on Pegasus is the plum tie of round two of the women’s ESB Irish Senior Cup. Easily the top two sides in this competition for the past decade – they have shared six of the last 10 titles – the incentive of eliminating a major rival so early on should provide a cracking tie. Hermes are another who will be hoping to return to their glory days, when they annexed this competition in 2005 and 2006, and they will be firm favorites to see off struggling Corinthian. Elsewhere, Munster’s hopes rest on the ability of Catholic Institute and Cork Harlequins to eke out results from two of the tougher venues in Irish hockey up north. Quins head to Ards for the second time this term, having already been humbled 3-0 there in the Irish Hockey League back in November, and they will again look to talismanic skipper Cliodhna Sargent to produce her usual defensive excellence and short corner prowess. Institute, who have been in imperious domestic form but have been unlucky not to pick up a positive result in the IHL, will hope to break through a ceiling by beating one of the country’s top clubs when they visit Ballymoney. Elsewhere, UCD will be expected to progress past Belfast Harlequins, but Lurgan’s visit to Glenanne, the all-Leinster clash between Old Alex and Pembroke Wanderers and Ulster Elks’ tie with Armagh are much tougher to call. Meanwhile, the country’s second-string senior clubs are also in national cup action, where the picture is set to become much clearer in the Irish Hockey Trophy. UCC’s men undertake the longest journey in Irish hockey as they head for Donegal to play Raphoe, with another away tie in the offing – against Leinster’s Suttonians or Rathgar Chiefs – for the winners.

Bandon’s women must also hope a long day on the road won’t affect their chances against Ballymena, while Waterford will meet some familiar faces when NUIG come to town with ex-UCC pair Rosie Shanahan and Louise Riordan, and former Bandon girls Síle Johnson and Jane O’Higgins, in tow. Domestically, little change is expected at the top of the men’s league in Munster. Free-scoring Cork Harlequins, who have hit 51 games in six league outings, should add to that tally at home to a Catholic Institute side low on confidence after a 7-1 mauling at the hands of UCC last week. C of I will be in Harlequin Park later that day to take on Quins seconds, where young guns Nick Burns, Philip Sweetnam and Andrew Daunt will be once again expected to step into the breach left by John Jermyn’s absence due to international duty. In the sole women’s tie. Cork C of I will be targeting a second league win of the campaign when they visit UL, buoyed by the resistance they provided in pushing UCC all the way in a 2-1 defeat last time out. IRELAND senior men’s squad for Seville training camp and friendlies vs Netherlands on Sunday and Monday (3pm Irish time): D Ames (Beeston, England), J Brennan (Glenanne), C Cargo (Reading, England), T Cockram (Lisnagravey), M Darling (Den Bosch, Holland), R Gormley (Club de Campo, Spain), C Harte (SCHC, Holland), D Harte (GK, SCHC, Holland), J Jackson (Mossley), J Jermyn (Cork C of I), T Lewis (Pembroke/Crefelder HTC, Germany), E Magee (KHC Dragons, Belgium), P Maguire (KHC Leuven, Belgium), G McCabe (Santander, Spain), B McCandless (Banbridge), A McConnell (THC Hurley, Holland), I Walker (GK, YMCA), M Watt (Santander, Spain) All fixtures Saturday unless stated Men Irish Hockey Trophy Rd 2: Newry v Antrim (Newry Olympic HC, 2.30pm); Clontarf v Avoca (Mount Temple, 3.30pm); Cliftonville v Portadown (CIYMS, 2.30pm); Queens v Belfast Harlequins (Queens, 2.30pm); Dublin University v South Antrim (Grange Road, 3.30pm); Raphoe v UCC (Royal & Prior, 2.30pm); Navan v Armagh (King’s Hospital, 12.30pm); Rathgar Chiefs v Suttonians (High School, 2.30pm). Irish Junior Cup Rd 2: Bangor v Mossley (Ballykillaire, 2.30pm); Lisnagarvey v Monkstown (Hillsborough, 1pm); Glenanne v NICS (Glenanne Park, 3.30pm); Cork Harlequins v North Down (Harlequin Park, 1pm); YMCA v Three Rock Rovers (Milltown, 3.30pm); Banbridge v Bandon (Havelock Park, 2,30pm); Railway Union v Pembroke Wanderers (Park Avenue, 1pm); Annadale v Corinthian (Lough Moss, 1pm). Munster Div 1: Cork Harlequins v Catholic Institute (Harlequin Park, 12.30pm); Cork Harlequins B v Cork C of I (Harlequin Park, 3pm) Women ESB Irish Senior Cup Rd 2: Ards v Cork Harlequins (Ards LC, 2.45pm); Ballymoney v Catholic Institute (Joey Dunlop Centre, 2.30pm); Belfast Harlequins v UCD (Deramore Park, 1pm); Corinthian v Hermes (Whitechurch, 2.45pm); Pegasus v Loreto (Queens, 1pm); Ulster Elks v Armagh (Jordanstown, 1pm); Glenanne v Lurgan (Glenanne Park, 1.30pm); Old Alex v Pembroke Wanderers (Milltown, 1.30pm). ESB Irish Hockey Trophy Rd 1: Portadown v Our Lady’s Terenure (Brownlow, 2.30pm); Rahpoe vs Dromore (Royal & Prior, 12.45pm); Greenisland v Galway (Carrickfergus, 2.45pm); Ballymena v Bandon (Ballymena, 1pm); Muckross v Diocesan (Teresian School, 2pm); Waterford v NUIG (Newtown School, 2pm); Clontarf v North Down (Mount Temple, 1pm). Munster Div 1: UL v Cork C of I (UL, TBC).