Cork Harlequins’ visit to Catholic Institute has taken a long time to come around, but should provide players and fans alike with a crucial indicator as to where the Munster women’s league title might end up.
Quins have yet to blink this season and have won all their games, the most memorable of which came when Cliodhna Sargent inspired them to a 1-0 win over UCC at the Mardyke on a still Tuesday night.
Stephen Dale has successfully kept his side on the front foot despite introducing a lot of new young talent as he grapples with a small squad this season; Abby Oakes has become a first-team regular while the likes of Katie O’Neill, Laurene Buckley and new signing Alex O’Grady have fitted in seamlessly.
Ciara Ronan – now retired – makes a save for Institute in their clash Harlequins last year. The sides meet again at Rosbrien tomorrow. Picture: Ivan O’Riordan
The result is that despite seeing Institute take over their mantle as champions for the last two seasons, Quins have remained title contenders through an exceptional period of upheaval as the old guard of Karen Bateman, Rachael Kohler and the Chapple sisters left the stage.
Tomorrow will be a real acid test for them though, particularly without Sargent, who is in Spain with the Irish women. Insta know they can’t afford to drop any more points against their title rivals having gone down 3-0 to UCC in the first half of the season, and the side’s backbone of Christine O’Shea, Eimear Cregan and Elaine Bromell are as hungry as every for silverware after a galling ISC loss to Pegasus.
The meeting of Limerick and Fermoy at Villiers is not the relegation six-pointer many thought it could be, at least for the moment, as John Meyler’s side have adapted very well to life in the top tier.
With Gillian Quigley, Jenni Lyttle and Lorraine McGowan to the fore, they have eight points to their name already and as such are unlikely to be dragged into the mire, although three points here would all but guarantee their survival.
The game has greater resonance for Fermoy, coming as it does amid a series of winnable clashes for them. Inspired by Trish Fitzpatrick, Orla Cotter and Jess Ottman, they broke through a ceiling with a 4-3 win over Bandon that gives them a great chance of staying up, and another result here could cut UL further adrift at the foot of the table.
Bandon, Cork C of I and UL carry Munster’s hopes in round three of the Irish Hockey Trophy.
Belfast Harlequins, conquerors of Ashton in round two with a 6-0 victory, visit Cork again with a trip to Bandon on their agenda, while C of I will fancy their chances of progressing despite an away tie against Bray.
This competition could be the saviour in what has been a frustrating season for UL thus far, although they play host to a Muckross side that have their tails up as they plot a path towards Leinster’s upper reaches.
Yet another meeting of UCC and Cork Harlequins — their fifth of the season so far — highlights the men’s fixture list. The last three of those took place at Harlequin Park so College will be keen to see can they do more damage on home turf at the Mardyke.
Their hopes of repeating the 3-3 draw which dented Quins’ title hopes are boosted by the absence of Mark Black from the visitors’ midfield, but the students have issues of their own.
Top among those is rustiness, with the side having trained very little in recent weeks due to the involvement of coach Neil Welch and six players with Munster U21s. Furthermore, Andy Gray’s foot injury has been slow to heal and he has played very little hockey in 2013 so far.
Cork C of I should see off their own seconds once more while Bandon’s visit to Cork Harlequins B sees the west Cork men with a great chance to avoid the wooden spoon; they are level with their opponents on two points at the foot of the table but have three games in hand.
Women: Electric Ireland Irish Hockey Trophy Rd 3: Botanic v NICS, Holy Faith Glasnevin, 1pm; NUIG v Grovesnor, Dangan, 1pm; Bandon v Belfast Harlequins, Bandon Grammar, 1.30pm; Bray v Cork C of I, Loreto Bray, 1.30pm; UL v Muckross, UL, 2pm; Avoca v Lisnagarvey, Newpark, 2.15pm; Omagh v Ballyclare, Campsie Omagh, 2.30pm; Greenfields v YMCA, Dangan, 3pm.
Women’s Div 1: Catholic Institute v Cork Harlequins, Rosbrien, 2pm; Limerick v Fermoy, Villiers, 2pm.
Men’s Div 1: UCC v Cork Harlequins, The Mardyke, 1pm; Cork Harlequins B v Bandon, Harlequin Park, 12.30pm; Cork C of I B v Cork C of I, Garryduff, 3.30pm.
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Yet another meeting of UCC and Cork Harlequins — their fifth of the season so far — highlights the men’s fixture list. The last three of those took place at Harlequin Park so College will be keen to see can they do more damage on home turf at the Mardyke.
Their hopes of repeating the 3-3 draw which dented Quins’ title hopes are boosted by the absence of Mark Black from the visitors’ midfield, but the students have issues of their own.
Top among those is rustiness, with the side having trained very little in recent weeks due to the involvement of coach Neil Welch and six players with Munster U21s. Furthermore, Andy Gray’s foot injury has been slow to heal and he has played very little hockey in 2013 so far.
Cork C of I should see off their own seconds once more while Bandon’s visit to Cork Harlequins B sees the west Cork men with a great chance to avoid the wooden spoon; they are level with their opponents on two points at the foot of the table but have three games in hand.
Women: Electric Ireland Irish Hockey Trophy Rd 3: Botanic v NICS, Holy Faith Glasnevin, 1pm; NUIG v Grovesnor, Dangan, 1pm; Bandon v Belfast Harlequins, Bandon Grammar, 1.30pm; Bray v Cork C of I, Loreto Bray, 1.30pm; UL v Muckross, UL, 2pm; Avoca v Lisnagarvey, Newpark, 2.15pm; Omagh v Ballyclare, Campsie Omagh, 2.30pm; Greenfields v YMCA, Dangan, 3pm.
Women’s Div 1: Catholic Institute v Cork Harlequins, Rosbrien, 2pm; Limerick v Fermoy, Villiers, 2pm.
Men’s Div 1: UCC v Cork Harlequins, The Mardyke, 1pm; Cork Harlequins B v Bandon, Harlequin Park, 12.30pm; Cork C of I B v Cork C of I, Garryduff, 3.30pm. 
Yet another meeting of UCC and Cork Harlequins — their fifth of the season so far — highlights the men’s fixture list. The last three of those took place at Harlequin Park so College will be keen to see can they do more damage on home turf at the Mardyke.
Their hopes of repeating the 3-3 draw which dented Quins’ title hopes are boosted by the absence of Mark Black from the visitors’ midfield, but the students have issues of their own.
Top among those is rustiness, with the side having trained very little in recent weeks due to the involvement of coach Neil Welch and six players with Munster U21s. Furthermore, Andy Gray’s foot injury has been slow to heal and he has played very little hockey in 2013 so far.
Cork C of I should see off their own seconds once more while Bandon’s visit to Cork Harlequins B sees the west Cork men with a great chance to avoid the wooden spoon; they are level with their opponents on two points at the foot of the table but have three games in hand.
Women: Electric Ireland Irish Hockey Trophy Rd 3: Botanic v NICS, Holy Faith Glasnevin, 1pm; NUIG v Grovesnor, Dangan, 1pm; Bandon v Belfast Harlequins, Bandon Grammar, 1.30pm; Bray v Cork C of I, Loreto Bray, 1.30pm; UL v Muckross, UL, 2pm; Avoca v Lisnagarvey, Newpark, 2.15pm; Omagh v Ballyclare, Campsie Omagh, 2.30pm; Greenfields v YMCA, Dangan, 3pm.
Women’s Div 1: Catholic Institute v Cork Harlequins, Rosbrien, 2pm; Limerick v Fermoy, Villiers, 2pm.
Men’s Div 1: UCC v Cork Harlequins, The Mardyke, 1pm; Cork Harlequins B v Bandon, Harlequin Park, 12.30pm; Cork C of I B v Cork C of I, Garryduff, 3.30pm.