Fermoy to honour Nicola and Ciara

Fermoy HC will remember two dearly departed team-mates this Saturday with the first Nicola Dowling and Ciara O’Brien Memorial Tournament. The north Cork club, who lost both players in tragic circumstances last season, have invited other teams from their women’s Division Three league to participate in the tournament, with two trophies on offer. Fermoy HC PRO Marie Arnold this week paid tribute to Nicola and Ciara: “Whether it was a training session, match, club meeting, a night our or weekend away, Nicky was always there — one of the first to arrive and last to leave. She was always good-humoured and gave every game her best. She made friends easily and we miss her dearly.

“Ciara was a shining light, a wonderful role model to those around her and touched everyone who knew her with her great spirit, optimism, kindness and energy for life. Our world is less smiley, less giggly, our nights out less fun and less glamorous, and we are all the sadder without her.” The tournament will begin at 10.30am at the all-weather pitch in Fermoy, with eight 11-a-side teams taking part. Each team will play three round-robin matches and a cup or plate semi-final. The trophies will be presented by the parents of both Nicola and Ciara. Meanwhile, the season proper gets underway in Division One this weekend, with the clash of Cork Harlequins and Bandon in the men’s league the day’s obvious highlight. The westerners and Quins had a couple of memorable battles last term, notably in the Peard Cup final, and with Stephen Dale’s side suffering something of a mini injury crisis, Bandon may fancy their chances of an early-season scalp. Long-term injury victims Chris Daunt (broken leg) and Colin Ross (knee) both miss out, as do Sean Nicholston (knee) and Eddie Dore (back) who have short-term complaints. Dutchman Reinout Mensink will make his debut between the stick for Quins in Daunt’s absence Elsewhere, Catholic Institute will also be looking for a win over bigger-name opposition when they host a C of I B side shorn of a number of last season’s Irish Junior Cup-winning team, while C of I A should have little difficulty getting their title defence off to a winning start against Quins B at Garryduff. Waterford face a baptism of fire as they begin life in the women’s Division One with a trip to C of I, who will be hoping to give new signings Cathy Kenefick and Suzanne O’Connor their competitive debuts. UCC will be looking to see how their new girls, including Kate Murphy, Olivia Roycroft and Rosie Shanahan, bed in to the side as they host Ashton. College are traditionally slow starters and will be thankful not to be facing one of their title rivals first up, though they did look in reasonable nick in a 3-0 friendly win over Trinity in Blackrock last weekend. The match is also likely to see an instant return to her former club for new Ashton signing Ciara O’Connell, while Nikki Sterritt and Claire Mulcahy will be in the same boat, as they face their former UL side in the colours of Catholic Institute in an early-season Limerick derby. Men’s Div 1: Catholic Institute vs Cork C of I B (Rosbrien, 2.30pm); Cork Harlequins vs Bandon (Harlequin Park, 1pm); Cork C of I A vs Cork Harlequins B (Garryduff, 3pm). Women’s Div 1: Catholic Institute vs UL (Rosbrien, 1pm); Cork C of I vs Waterford (Garryduff, 12pm); UCC vs Ashton (Mardyke, 1pm).