Seconds’ chance to shine as IJC gets underway

Some club sides will be better stocked than others as the Irish Junior Cup gets underway this weekend. While there are no senior Munster men’s games down for decision on Saturday, allowing their IJC representatives full access to players who float between the first and second XIs, there are full programmes in Leinster men and women and Munster women, which could possibly weaken their hand on the national stage. UCC and Cork Harlequins will both be thankful for that as they send squads to Ulster for trips to NICS and Annadale respectively, while Cork C of I have again drawn Mossley at home in round one, where they won 6-1 12 months ago.

Quins will be gunning to improve on last year’s shock 3-2 defeat to Bandon, and can be encouraged by some positive league showings, not least when their own firsts needed a last-gasp goal to win 3-2 back in October. College, currently leading Division 2 in Munster with four wins and a draw from five outings, also have unfinished business with this competition. They blew a 3-1 half-time lead away to Kilkeel before going down 4-3, but their challenge will be weakened by the unavailability of Brian Egan, Philip Brennan and former skipper Colin Manning. Last year’s women’s semi-finalists C of I return to Ballymoney, where they won 4-0 in the last 16 last season, while Quins have Genesis away while UCC host Queen’s University in an all-varsity tie at the Mardyke. The Cork students are likely to be unable to call upon any first-team fringe players with all hands to the pump for the firsts’ crucial Munster league clash away to Catholic Institute. The visitors need at least a draw to keep pace at the top of Division One following their defeat to Quins, and will look to bring some of the good form from their ISC win over Trinity last weekend. The postponement of Insta’s clash with Pegasus won’t have helped their preparation for this, but they rearranged a fixture against UL for last night and came out the champions will nonetheless start as favourites as their enviable forward line looks to cut loose. Bandon’s meeting with UL in west Cork already has the look of a relegation six-pointer while Ashton and Limerick will both be looking to recover from disappointing Irish Hockey Trophy defeats as they lock horns in Cork. Men’s Irish Junior Cup, round one: UCD vs Avoca, 11.15am, Belfield Water; Three Rock Rovers vs Pembroke Wanderers, 12pm, Grange Road; South Antrim vs Bangor, 1pm, Laurelhill School; Lisnagarvey vs Suttonians, 1pm, Comber Road; Instonians vs Belfast Harlequins, 1pm, Shawsbridge; Railway Union vs YMCA, 1pm, Park Avenue; Dublin University vs Corinthian, 2pm, Grange Road; Fingal vs Raphoe, 2.15pm, ALSAA; NICS vs UCC, 2.30pm, Stormont; Cork Church of Ireland vs Mossley, 2.30pm, Garryduff; Banbridge vs Kilkeel, 2.30pm, Havelock Park; Annadale vs Cork Harlequins, 2.30pm, Lough Moss; Cookstown vs Clontarf, 4pm, Coolnafranky Byes to Round 2: Glenanne, Monkstown and North Down ** Draw for round two of the men’s Irish Junior cup will be made on Monday, December 3 in the IHA offices. Electric Ireland Women’s Irish Junior Cup Round One: Ballymoney vs Cork Church of Ireland,1pm, Joey Dunlop Centre; Pembroke Wanderers vs Pegasus, 2pm, Serpentine Avenue; Three Rock Rovers vs Ulster Elks, 2pm, Grange Road; Lisnagarvey vs Glenanne, 2pm, Comber Road; Loreto vs Corinthian, 2.15pm, Loreto School; Genesis vs Cork Harlequins, 2.30pm, Belfield water; Lurgan vs Belfast Harlequins, 2.30pm, Lurgan JHS; UCD vs Dublin University, 2.30pm, Belfield Patterson; Armagh vs Portadown, 4pm, Ardmore; UCC vs Queens University, 4pm, The Mardyke Byes to Round 2: Ashton, Banbridge, Hermes, Old Alex, Railway Union and Randalstown Munster Women’s Div 1: Catholic Institute v UCC, 1.30pm, Rosbrien; Bandon v UL, 1.30pm, Bandon Grammar; Ashton v Limerick, Ashton School, 1pm.