Early six-pointers for IHL representatives

All five of Munster’s Irish Hockey League representatives need to collect points this weekend, if they are to harbour realistic semi-final ambitions. The quintet all lost in the opening round last month, putting emphasised importance on this weekend’s clashes. In the men’s Pool B, Cork Harlequins hit the road for the first of two trips to Banbridge — who they also face away in the Irish Senior Cup — in quick succession.

Quins produced their best performance of last season’s competition in coming from behind to beat Bann 3-2, and it could take another special goal in the vein of Lee d’Alton’s first-time thunderbolt which won that game, to produce a winner here. Pool leaders Pembroke Wanderers host Leinster pace-setters YMCA, who will have to do without Will Powderly and Cliff Bailey but should have David Robinson back in harness. Monkstown continue to be Ireland’s great entertainers with goals flowing freely at both ends, but they will hope to tighten things up at the back at home to Instonians. Cork C of I will be without Munster U18 skipper Nick Burns for their Pool A trip to Co Tyrone to face Cookstown. Burns injured his knee in an ugly clash with Catholic Institute’s Ivan Moore last weekend, after which both players were red-carded. Cookstown will be minus skipper Godfrey Irwin through suspension but welcome Stuart Smyth and Ian Sloan back to the fold as they bid to better last year’s 3-3 draw with the Munster champions. The big tie in the pool is the visit of last year’s finalists Lisnagarvey to Glenanne, who are riding high after reaching the last 16 of the EuroHockey League for the first time. Annadale welcome Corinthian to Lough Moss, both sides having drawn their opening IHL encounters. The pick of the women’s ties is the meeting of Leinster’s unbeaten duo of Railway Union and UCD in Pool B, where Ballymoney take on Armagh and Cork Harlequins trek to Ards with three points vital to both sides after first-round losses. Quins will hope to have Yvonne O’Byrne back fighting fit, after she played only a minor role in last weekend’s 2-0 win over C of I due to a facial injury. And John Moloney’s girls will have to increase the number of corners they win too; only three times did they manage to get Cliodhna Sargent in prime position at the top of the circle last week. Irish international Miriam Crowley will hope to get the better of former girl in green Jenny McAuley as UCC host Belfast Harlequins in Pool A. Claire Coey is another dangerwoman for the visiting northerners, but College will be glad to be facing her back on home turf, playingtheir first IHL game there in 12 months after last season’s floods saw them forced to make Garryduff their temporary home.

For the home side, Ali O’Connor, Orla Crowley and Eibhlín O’Donoghue will be key players as usual, while Ali O’Regan provides the primary threat from the front. Two sides with 100% records in their domestic leagues meet at Rosbrien as Catholic Institute host Hermes. A 2-1 win for the Dubliners at the same venue in pre-season is not reckoned to be a good guideline for this encounter given both sides were missing players, but this represents a real chance for Institute to make their mark on this competition. Eimear Cregan and Elaine Bromell in particular have been in cracking form for Ger O’Carroll’s side and are augmented by some of the best young players in Ireland. Hermes, however, can match them for experience and have quality pockmarked throughout their side. Audrey O’Flynn, Christine Quinlan and Sinead McCarthy form an imposing backline in front of current Irish goalkeeper Emma Gray, while Anna O’Flanagan, Aine Connery and Clare native Eimear Horan will keep the Insta defence occupied. However, the tie of the round will arguably take place at Beaufort, where Loreto host Pegasus in a clash of two of Ireland’s most experienced outfits. Pegs saw off Institute 5-2 in round one as their new girls Vanessa Surgeoner and Steph Quinn shined alongside older heads such as Suzanne Beaney, Claire McMahon and Arlene Boyles. Loreto can call on the likes of Nikki Symmons, Niamh Small and Cathy McKean to counteract that threat, but will be without Hannah Matthews, who required 20 stitches to a facial injur picked up while playing varsities for DCU. Domestically, there’s only one show in town this weekend as Bandon host UCC in the Munster men’s top tier. The sides will be battling it out this season for third place and a coveted IHL wildcard playoff spot, with their head-to-head record likely to be a decisive factor. The west Cork men nabbed a controversial late equaliser via captain Ali Smith in a 1-1 draw at the Mardyke last month, and College will need to put last year’s 7-2 defeat at Bandon Grammar to the back of their minds to prevail here. Smith and Roger Gray combined to often devestating effect for CIT at the varsities, but will be on opposite sides here.

How Bandon deal with UCC’s aerial assault – and the Gray brothers at corner time – will go a long way to deciding this one, while the hosts will also look for Scott Sullivan and Andrew Scannell to exert more influence in the middle. Meanwhile, Cork C of I’s women will enter new territory as they compete in the Irish Trophy for the first time this weekend, having been an IHL side for the past two seasons. David Egner’s charges travel to the unfamiliar surrounds of St Mary’s Naas to tackle Newbridge, and will do so with confidence after performing well in defeat to Cork Harlequins last week. Emily Reidy, Alex O’Grady and Nicola Kerr are fast filling the gaps left by departures in recent seasons, but C of I must improve their corner conversion rate – eight went begging last weekend – to prevail here. Irish Hockey League Rd 2 (All games Saturday unless stated) Men’s Pool A: Cookstown vs Cork C of I (Coolnafranky, 2.30pm); Glenanne vs Lisnagarvey (Glenanne Park, 2.30pm); Annadale vs Corinthians (Lough Moss, 2.30pm); Men’s Pool B: Banbridge vs Cork Harlequins (Havelock Park, 2.30pm); Pembroke Wanderers vs YMCA (Serpentine Avenue, 3pm); Monkstown vs Instonians (Rathdown, 3pm); Women’s Pool A: UCC vs Belfast Harlequins (Mardyke, 12pm); Catholic Institute vs Hermes (Rosbrien, 2pm); Loreto vs Pegasus (Beaufort, Sunday, 3pm); Women’s Pool B: Ballymoney vs Armagh (Joey Dunlop Centre, 2.30pm); Ards vs Cork Harlequins (NICS, Sunday, 12pm); Railway Union vs UCD (Park Avenue, 5pm); ESB Women’s Irish Hockey Trophy: Newbridge vs Cork C of I (St Mary’s Naas, 1pm); Men’s Div 1: Bandon vs UCC (Bandon GS, 2pm).