Big changes are coming for Munster’s flagship schools hockey competition, after an innovative restructuring plan was revealed this week.
The Munster Senior Schoolgirls Cup will get a massive facelift this season, ditching the tradition of an elite seven-team tournament to incorporate all schools playing at senior A, B and C levels in the same competition.
The new structure, heavily borrowed from Munster’s schools rugby counterparts, allows giant-killing possibilities as well as extending the cup season for every school by at least one game.
The tournament begins in November with two rounds involving B and C schools. Eight will qualify to take on the seven A schools plus last year’s senior B winners Sacred Heart Clonakilty in round three.
Losers in each section will then enter separate Senior B and C competitions, depending on which round they lost in; losers from round three onwards will enter the Senior A Plate.
Munster Senior Schoolgirls Cup draw
Section A, Rd 1 (Nov 8): Ballincollig Community School v Bandon Grammar C; Laurel Hill Colaiste C v Scoil Mhuire C; Pres Bandon v Loreto Clonmel; Ashton C v Villiers C.
Section A Rd 2 (Nov 22): St Angela’s v Ballincollig/Bandon Grammar; Pres Thurles v Laurel Hill Collaiste/Scoil Mhuire; Crescent C v Midleton College; Ursulines Thurles B v Laurel Hill Secondary; Villiers v Rockwell; Loreto Fermoy v Colaiste Choilm; Pres Bandon/Loreto Clonmel v Regina Mundi; Ashton C/Villiers C v Bandon Grammar B.
Section B (pre-Christmas): Winners of Section A Rd 2 play against the seven A schools and Sacred Heart Clonakilty.
To follow: Quarter-finals (Jan 24); Semi-finals (Feb 14); Final (March 12).
The new structure, heavily borrowed from Munster’s schools rugby counterparts, allows giant-killing possibilities as well as extending the cup season for every school by at least one game.
The tournament begins in November with two rounds involving B and C schools. Eight will qualify to take on the seven A schools plus last year’s senior B winners Sacred Heart Clonakilty in round three.
Losers in each section will then enter separate Senior B and C competitions, depending on which round they lost in; losers from round three onwards will enter the Senior A Plate.
Munster Senior Schoolgirls Cup draw
Section A, Rd 1 (Nov 8): Ballincollig Community School v Bandon Grammar C; Laurel Hill Colaiste C v Scoil Mhuire C; Pres Bandon v Loreto Clonmel; Ashton C v Villiers C.
Section A Rd 2 (Nov 22): St Angela’s v Ballincollig/Bandon Grammar; Pres Thurles v Laurel Hill Collaiste/Scoil Mhuire; Crescent C v Midleton College; Ursulines Thurles B v Laurel Hill Secondary; Villiers v Rockwell; Loreto Fermoy v Colaiste Choilm; Pres Bandon/Loreto Clonmel v Regina Mundi; Ashton C/Villiers C v Bandon Grammar B.
Section B (pre-Christmas): Winners of Section A Rd 2 play against the seven A schools and Sacred Heart Clonakilty.
To follow: Quarter-finals (Jan 24); Semi-finals (Feb 14); Final (March 12).