Cork Church of Ireland will finally learn how far David Hobbs’ new approach has taken them as they host high-flying Banbridge in an Irish Senior Cup second round clash at Garryduff tomorrow (3pm).
Player/coach Hobbs, who has been mostly confined to the sideline due to a back injury, has pioneered a patient, high-tempo passing game and placed a large emphasis on fitness and discipline as C of I bid to mount a challenge for a national title.
Their last national senior crown came at the now-defunct club championships in 2003, and a number of limiting factors – lack of competition in Munster and under-performing in high-stakes games – have scuppered their ambitions since.
Departures of key players haven’t helped – you could almost field an all-Irish international team of players who learned their trade in Rochestown but are now playing in Dublin, Belfast or elsewhere in Europe – and this season was no different with David Harvey, Andy Herbert and Gary Wilkinson among those leaving.
In mitigation, there’s been the return of drag-flickers John Jermyn and Andrew Gray, and thus far C of I have been untouchable in Munster, averaging almost seven goals a game in heavy wins over all their provincial rivals.
Bann represent a major step up, however. Until last weekend’s 3-3 draw with Instonians they held a 100% record in the much tougher Ulster league, and signalled their national ambitions by handing Cork Harlequins an embarrassing 8-0 defeat on Leeside in round one of the ISC.
They’re back in Cork and sniffing blood again with 168-cap Irish international midfielder Eugene Magee back in situ after spells in Belgium and Germany, while his international colleague Stephen Dowds a huge threat up front from play and corners having netted 23 times already this season.
The tie of the round takes place in Lisburn where Lisnagarvey, with their long-standing reputation as cup specialists, host upstarts UCD.
The Belfield students have moved from Leinster relegation candidates to the Irish Hockey League qualification spots thanks in no small part to generous scholarship schemes; Nick Burns, Ross Canning, Shane O’Donoghue and Peter Brown have varying Irish international experience and have been key players this season.
The meeting of Cookstown and Pembroke Wanderers at Steelweld Park reprises the 2009 final but both sides have slipped down the ranks since; Pembroke, with Irish star Conor Harte back in tow plus a couple of new recruits from Munster, are back on the up though and will be fancied to advance despite injuries to key men Alan Sothern and Mark Ingram.
Cork Harlequins fly the flag for Munster in the women’s competition as they visit Old Alex – a repeat of their first round heroics, coming from two down to beat Belfast Harlequins 3-2 in extra-time, would do just fine for them.
Coach Stephen Dale will hope things won’t need to be as dramatic as that against an Alex side who have gone off the boil since stunning Hermes early in the year and lie sixth in the 10-team Leinster league.
Experienced Irish international Shirley McCay is an important fulcrum for them but a return of seven goals in as many league games suggests Quins can prevail if Cliodhna Sargent and Yvonne O’Byrne keep things tight at the back.
Both like to foray forward too and are key functions of the Quins short corner unit, while up front they have absorbed the loss of Acacia Taylor thanks to Orlagh Cotter’s rich vein of goalscoring form. Again, though, whether they have the overall quality to challenge regularly at national level remains to be seen.
Elsewhere, most observers will look to Belfield where UCD welcome Ards in a repeat of last-season’s semi-final. The Oranges, the current national indoor champions, are arguably the most improved side in Irish hockey, but UCD coach Johnny Harte can practically field an all-Irish international XI and thus the 2009 and 2011 champions will start as favourites.
Meanwhile, Munster’s chances of a first men’s Irish Hockey Trophy winner since UCC in 2012 will be halved by tomorrow evening as Bandon and Catholic Institute meet in Rosbrien.
Neither will have wanted to draw a local opponent, especially Institute, as Bandon lie a division above them and thus will be fancied to take the spoils. The west Cork club are on an upward curve again after a tough couple of seasons; eight of their underage contingent received Irish U16 and U18 trials following the recent interpros and victory over Quins earlier this term was their first ever.
Institute will look to midfield generals Simon Brickenden and Ivan Moore to weave some magic for them and Justin O’Sullivan’s return adds a forward threat, but they have been weakened by Eric Callender’s move into full-time coaching, which has restricted the Munster Juniors hitman’s availability.
Domestically, Cork C of I’s women will look to regain ground on the top three as they visit Fermoy while UCC host Limerick hoping for a repeat of their 5-2 win over the Treaty girls back in September.
Men
Irish Senior Cup Rd 2: Glenanne v Kilkeel, Glenanne Park, 1pm; Portadown v Monkstown, Portadown, 1pm; Belfast Harlequins v Three Rock Rovers, Deramore Park, 2.30pm; Cookstown v Pembroke Wanderers, Steelweld Park, 2.30pm; Fingal v NICS, ALSAA, 2.30pm; Mossley v Corinthian, The Glade, 2.30pm; Lisnagarvey v UCD, Comber Road, 2.45pm; Cork C of I v Banbridge, Garryduff, 3pm.
Irish Hockey Trophy Rd 2: Campbellians v Clontarf, Campbell College, 1.45pm; Suttonians v Kilkenny, Sutton Park, 1pm; Catholic Institute v Bandon, Rosbrien, 1pm.
Women
Electric Ireland Irish Senior Cup Rd 2: UCD v Ards, Belfield, 1pm; Ulster Elks v Lisnagarvey, UUJ, 1pm; Loreto v Queens University, Loreto, 1.30pm; Pembroke Wanderers v Greenfields, Serpentine Avenue, 2pm; Armagh v Lurgan, Ardmore RC, 2.30pm; Railway Union v Hermes, Park Avenue, 2.30pm; Glenanne v Ballymoney, Glenanne Park, 3pm; Old Alex v Cork Harlequins, Milltown, 3pm.
Munster Div 1: Fermoy v Cork C of I, Loreto Fermoy, 11am; UCC v Limerick, Mardyke, 12pm.
Departures of key players haven’t helped – you could almost field an all-Irish international team of players who learned their trade in Rochestown but are now playing in Dublin, Belfast or elsewhere in Europe – and this season was no different with David Harvey, Andy Herbert and Gary Wilkinson among those leaving.
In mitigation, there’s been the return of drag-flickers John Jermyn and Andrew Gray, and thus far C of I have been untouchable in Munster, averaging almost seven goals a game in heavy wins over all their provincial rivals.
Bann represent a major step up, however. Until last weekend’s 3-3 draw with Instonians they held a 100% record in the much tougher Ulster league, and signalled their national ambitions by handing Cork Harlequins an embarrassing 8-0 defeat on Leeside in round one of the ISC.
They’re back in Cork and sniffing blood again with 168-cap Irish international midfielder Eugene Magee back in situ after spells in Belgium and Germany, while his international colleague Stephen Dowds a huge threat up front from play and corners having netted 23 times already this season.
The tie of the round takes place in Lisburn where Lisnagarvey, with their long-standing reputation as cup specialists, host upstarts UCD.
The Belfield students have moved from Leinster relegation candidates to the Irish Hockey League qualification spots thanks in no small part to generous scholarship schemes; Nick Burns, Ross Canning, Shane O’Donoghue and Peter Brown have varying Irish international experience and have been key players this season.
The meeting of Cookstown and Pembroke Wanderers at Steelweld Park reprises the 2009 final but both sides have slipped down the ranks since; Pembroke, with Irish star Conor Harte back in tow plus a couple of new recruits from Munster, are back on the up though and will be fancied to advance despite injuries to key men Alan Sothern and Mark Ingram.
Cork Harlequins fly the flag for Munster in the women’s competition as they visit Old Alex – a repeat of their first round heroics, coming from two down to beat Belfast Harlequins 3-2 in extra-time, would do just fine for them.
Coach Stephen Dale will hope things won’t need to be as dramatic as that against an Alex side who have gone off the boil since stunning Hermes early in the year and lie sixth in the 10-team Leinster league.
Experienced Irish international Shirley McCay is an important fulcrum for them but a return of seven goals in as many league games suggests Quins can prevail if Cliodhna Sargent and Yvonne O’Byrne keep things tight at the back.
Both like to foray forward too and are key functions of the Quins short corner unit, while up front they have absorbed the loss of Acacia Taylor thanks to Orlagh Cotter’s rich vein of goalscoring form. Again, though, whether they have the overall quality to challenge regularly at national level remains to be seen.
Elsewhere, most observers will look to Belfield where UCD welcome Ards in a repeat of last-season’s semi-final. The Oranges, the current national indoor champions, are arguably the most improved side in Irish hockey, but UCD coach Johnny Harte can practically field an all-Irish international XI and thus the 2009 and 2011 champions will start as favourites.
Meanwhile, Munster’s chances of a first men’s Irish Hockey Trophy winner since UCC in 2012 will be halved by tomorrow evening as Bandon and Catholic Institute meet in Rosbrien.
Neither will have wanted to draw a local opponent, especially Institute, as Bandon lie a division above them and thus will be fancied to take the spoils. The west Cork club are on an upward curve again after a tough couple of seasons; eight of their underage contingent received Irish U16 and U18 trials following the recent interpros and victory over Quins earlier this term was their first ever.
Institute will look to midfield generals Simon Brickenden and Ivan Moore to weave some magic for them and Justin O’Sullivan’s return adds a forward threat, but they have been weakened by Eric Callender’s move into full-time coaching, which has restricted the Munster Juniors hitman’s availability.
Domestically, Cork C of I’s women will look to regain ground on the top three as they visit Fermoy while UCC host Limerick hoping for a repeat of their 5-2 win over the Treaty girls back in September.
Men
Irish Senior Cup Rd 2: Glenanne v Kilkeel, Glenanne Park, 1pm; Portadown v Monkstown, Portadown, 1pm; Belfast Harlequins v Three Rock Rovers, Deramore Park, 2.30pm; Cookstown v Pembroke Wanderers, Steelweld Park, 2.30pm; Fingal v NICS, ALSAA, 2.30pm; Mossley v Corinthian, The Glade, 2.30pm; Lisnagarvey v UCD, Comber Road, 2.45pm; Cork C of I v Banbridge, Garryduff, 3pm.
Irish Hockey Trophy Rd 2: Campbellians v Clontarf, Campbell College, 1.45pm; Suttonians v Kilkenny, Sutton Park, 1pm; Catholic Institute v Bandon, Rosbrien, 1pm.
Women
Electric Ireland Irish Senior Cup Rd 2: UCD v Ards, Belfield, 1pm; Ulster Elks v Lisnagarvey, UUJ, 1pm; Loreto v Queens University, Loreto, 1.30pm; Pembroke Wanderers v Greenfields, Serpentine Avenue, 2pm; Armagh v Lurgan, Ardmore RC, 2.30pm; Railway Union v Hermes, Park Avenue, 2.30pm; Glenanne v Ballymoney, Glenanne Park, 3pm; Old Alex v Cork Harlequins, Milltown, 3pm.
Munster Div 1: Fermoy v Cork C of I, Loreto Fermoy, 11am; UCC v Limerick, Mardyke, 12pm.