Hockey returns for a number of clubs this weekend with a smattering of pre-season tournaments taking place in Munster and beyond.
Among those hitting the road are Cork C of I and UCC’s men, with both competing in a tournament hosted by UCD and also featuring Glenanne and Instonians.
Both clubs will have changed line-ups from last season; Ireland U18 hitman Gary Wilkinson is UCC’s big summer signing while as many as five other new players could make their debuts in red this weekend.
UCC will be without former talisman Andrew Gray, who has returned to C of I after four years with the students, and joins Irish record goalscorer John Jermyn – pictured, above and recently repatriated to the club for the fourth time following a stint in Belgium – and Stephen Sweetnam in providing a formidable triple short corner threat for the Garryduff men this season.
More good news for the club is that they have held on to other top prospects in Richard Lynch and Richard Sweetnam, while player/coach David Hobbs’ intensive summer fitness regime has paid off as he looks fighting fit after recovering from a knee problem.
As well as a number of young guns C of I are also bidding farewell to David Harvey, whose work has taken him to Dublin. He has yet to formally join a new club, and having helped out UCD when they were short on number last week, Harvey will line out for Pembroke Wanderers at the Three Rock Rovers Super Cup in Dublin this weekend.
There’s a growing Cork contingent at Pembroke: Karl Lynch and Adam Pritchard are already in situ at Serpentine Avenue, Ireland centre-back Conor Harte has returned from Holland, Patrick Shanahan has moved from UCD and ex-Bandon man Scott Sullivan will make his return to Irish hockey with them after a year in Australia.
Locally, the focus is on Fermoy as the annual Nicola Dowling and Ciara O’Brien Memorial Tournament gets underway tomorrow morning with nine teams taking part in a format that sees bursts of action with short, 20-minute pool games preceding a 24-minute final.
The hosts will join Clonakilty, Blackrock and Harlequins in a quadrangular Plate tournament for Division 4 teams in the morning, before the Division 1 tournament takes over in the afternoon.
Harlequins, Bandon, Ashton and UL are all sending sides to this tournament and will be joined by Munster U16s as they continue their preparation for October’s interpros.
The tournament is now in its fifth year having began following the tragic losses of Fermoy club members Nicola and Ciara in 2008 and 2009. Ciara’s sister Aine is in the Fermoy squad for the Plate competition.
It’ll be an especially busy day for Fermoy’s Munster U16 contingent Ruth Herlihy, Kathryn Buckley and Niamh Sexton, pictured above; the latter duo will line out for their club in the morning and their province in the afternoon
Elsewhere, Waterford’s return to Munster men’s hockey continues apace as they host the McBride Cup at Newtown School tomorrow.
Aided by the enthusiasm of Munster Junior interpro squad members David Quinn (pictured, below) and Stuart Greene – who play in Leinster with Kilkenny but also lined out for Waterford in Munster cup competitions last term – the club is finding its feet again after a seven-year absence.
They won the McLean Cup last term with a comprehensive 4-1 dismantling of Division 3 champions UCC in the final, and will take part in league action this term.
They are joined by fellow Munster men Midleton plus Enniscorthy and Kilkenny for the four-team round-robin tournament, which is comprised of 40-minute matches.
Both Fermoy and Waterford are encouraging local people to come out and enjoy the day’s hockey, especially those who wish to get a feel for the sport before taking it up.
Nicola Dowling and Ciara O’Brien Memorial Tournament, Loreto Fermoy
Plate (Div 4) Competition: 10am: Blackrock v Fermoy; 10.25am: Clonakilty v Harlequins; 10.50am: Fermoy v Clonakilty; 11.15am: Blackrock v Harlequins; 11.40am: Clonakilty v Blackrock; 12.05pm: Fermoy v Harlequins; 12.30: Final; 1pm: Trophy presentation.
Cup (Div 1) Competition: 1.05pm: Munster U16 v Ashton; 1.30pm: Bandon v Harlequins; 1.55pm: UL v Munster U16; 2.20pm: Ashton v Bandon; 2.45pm: Harlequins v UL; 3.10pm: Munster U16 v Bandon; 3.35pm: Ashton v UL; 4pm: Harlequins v Munster U16; 4.25pm: Bandon v UL; 4.50pm: Harlequins v UL; 5.20pm: Final; 5.45pm: Trophy presentation.
McBride Cup, Newtown School, Waterford
1pm: Waterford v Midleton; 1.50pm: Kilkenny v Enniscorthy; 2.40pm: Midleton v Enniscorthy; 3.20pm: Midleton v Kilkenny; 4.10pm: Waterford v Kilkenny; 5pm: Waterford v Enniscorthy.
UCC will be without former talisman Andrew Gray, who has returned to C of I after four years with the students, and joins Irish record goalscorer John Jermyn – pictured, above and recently repatriated to the club for the fourth time following a stint in Belgium – and Stephen Sweetnam in providing a formidable triple short corner threat for the Garryduff men this season.
More good news for the club is that they have held on to other top prospects in Richard Lynch and Richard Sweetnam, while player/coach David Hobbs’ intensive summer fitness regime has paid off as he looks fighting fit after recovering from a knee problem.
As well as a number of young guns C of I are also bidding farewell to David Harvey, whose work has taken him to Dublin. He has yet to formally join a new club, and having helped out UCD when they were short on number last week, Harvey will line out for Pembroke Wanderers at the Three Rock Rovers Super Cup in Dublin this weekend.
There’s a growing Cork contingent at Pembroke: Karl Lynch and Adam Pritchard are already in situ at Serpentine Avenue, Ireland centre-back Conor Harte has returned from Holland, Patrick Shanahan has moved from UCD and ex-Bandon man Scott Sullivan will make his return to Irish hockey with them after a year in Australia.
Locally, the focus is on Fermoy as the annual Nicola Dowling and Ciara O’Brien Memorial Tournament gets underway tomorrow morning with nine teams taking part in a format that sees bursts of action with short, 20-minute pool games preceding a 24-minute final.
The hosts will join Clonakilty, Blackrock and Harlequins in a quadrangular Plate tournament for Division 4 teams in the morning, before the Division 1 tournament takes over in the afternoon.
Harlequins, Bandon, Ashton and UL are all sending sides to this tournament and will be joined by Munster U16s as they continue their preparation for October’s interpros.
The tournament is now in its fifth year having began following the tragic losses of Fermoy club members Nicola and Ciara in 2008 and 2009. Ciara’s sister Aine is in the Fermoy squad for the Plate competition.
It’ll be an especially busy day for Fermoy’s Munster U16 contingent Ruth Herlihy, Kathryn Buckley and Niamh Sexton, pictured above; the latter duo will line out for their club in the morning and their province in the afternoon
Elsewhere, Waterford’s return to Munster men’s hockey continues apace as they host the McBride Cup at Newtown School tomorrow.
Aided by the enthusiasm of Munster Junior interpro squad members David Quinn (pictured, below) and Stuart Greene – who play in Leinster with Kilkenny but also lined out for Waterford in Munster cup competitions last term – the club is finding its feet again after a seven-year absence.
They won the McLean Cup last term with a comprehensive 4-1 dismantling of Division 3 champions UCC in the final, and will take part in league action this term.
They are joined by fellow Munster men Midleton plus Enniscorthy and Kilkenny for the four-team round-robin tournament, which is comprised of 40-minute matches.
Both Fermoy and Waterford are encouraging local people to come out and enjoy the day’s hockey, especially those who wish to get a feel for the sport before taking it up.
Nicola Dowling and Ciara O’Brien Memorial Tournament, Loreto Fermoy
Plate (Div 4) Competition: 10am: Blackrock v Fermoy; 10.25am: Clonakilty v Harlequins; 10.50am: Fermoy v Clonakilty; 11.15am: Blackrock v Harlequins; 11.40am: Clonakilty v Blackrock; 12.05pm: Fermoy v Harlequins; 12.30: Final; 1pm: Trophy presentation.
Cup (Div 1) Competition: 1.05pm: Munster U16 v Ashton; 1.30pm: Bandon v Harlequins; 1.55pm: UL v Munster U16; 2.20pm: Ashton v Bandon; 2.45pm: Harlequins v UL; 3.10pm: Munster U16 v Bandon; 3.35pm: Ashton v UL; 4pm: Harlequins v Munster U16; 4.25pm: Bandon v UL; 4.50pm: Harlequins v UL; 5.20pm: Final; 5.45pm: Trophy presentation.
McBride Cup, Newtown School, Waterford
1pm: Waterford v Midleton; 1.50pm: Kilkenny v Enniscorthy; 2.40pm: Midleton v Enniscorthy; 3.20pm: Midleton v Kilkenny; 4.10pm: Waterford v Kilkenny; 5pm: Waterford v Enniscorthy.
I’ve just heard that the men’s senior league is down to 5 teams! Harlequins have pulled out their 2nd team. Things are on a steady decline for men’s hockey in Munster.