Insta have to wait again

Catholic Institute are hurting after a shock loss to UCC – but their hopes of unleashing fury against Pegasus in the Irish Senior Cup have been dashed after the game was called off for a second time today. Pegs had a wasted journey from Belfast a fortnight ago, and mindful of a repeat occurrence, the IHA called the game off today as it had “potentially no more than a 50-50 chance of being played” due to forecasts for more cold weather in Limerick. It will now be played on December 15/16 or January 12/13. Murmurings about a winter break will once again be heard around Irish hockey grounds this weekend as other clubs hope they aren’t frozen out. Three other Electric Ireland Irish Senior Cup second round ties have been rescheduled for this Saturday after falling victim to the frost two weeks ago.

UCC will be eagerly awaiting news from Ulster where Ards meet Ulster Elks to determine who the Cork students will face in the quarter-finals. Paidi Hartnett’s side are on Munster league duty at home to a resurgent Bandon, where victory will take them clear at the top of the table. Complacency could be their biggest enemy after last weekend’s win, particularly with John Dennis’ girls looking for a third win in a row. In the Irish Hockey Trophy, there’s sure to be some needle between Cork C of I and Waterford in their re-scheduled tie; each side had different views on why their initial clash didn’t go ahead amid the twin problems of the frost and the schoolboys’ interpros at Garryduff a fortnight ago. Bandon make their very first venture into the Irish Hockey Trophy, having watched UCC succeed at this level in recent years, with a home tie against North Down. The green and black vintage of the last couple of years would surely have been among the favourites for the overall crown; this year’s crew have been weakened by various departures but they should still have enough class from goalkeeper Ian Hosford through to the unpredictable Aaron Beamish and David Smith to make a big impression. Cork C of I B’s men will eye a scalp at home to UCC, who were completely out of sorts in a midweek 5-1 Peard Cup semi-final defeat to Cork Harlequins. Fionn O’Leary missed a couple of great chances either side of David Eakins’ opener for the hosts, before College went AWOL at the back and left an unmarked Colin Ross plenty of room to fire home. Quins had it all but wrapped up just before half-time despite barely getting out of third gear; turnover ball in their own half saw Rob Hobbs feed the onrushing Darren Beamish, who flicked past Kieran Healy for David Egner to tap in.

And once Eakins had roofed a drag off a contentious short corner, the students’ discipline suffered amid frustration at falling foul of the umpires. Andy Gray and John Catchpole both saw green while Andrew Scannell and Stuart O’Grady were yellow-carded, ending any hopes that they might make a game of it. Gray did pull one back when he slung in College’s first short corner, but Quins had the final say when the excellent Beamish surged past three tired tackles and rounded Healy before slotting home. College skipper Peter Catchpole is a doubtful starter for their visit to Garryduff tomorrow with a neck injury, adding further impetus to a C of I B side who will be keen to overturn a 4-3 defeat at the Mardyke a couple of weeks ago and are likely to be able to call upon Phil Smith and Nigel Buttimer. The other men’s game of the weekend is the Quins derby, with the firsts keen to prove that needing a last-gasp winner to win the sides’ first meeting in October was an exception rather than the norm. Men: Irish Hockey Trophy Rd 2: Armagh v Campbellians, Ardmore LC, 1pm; Portadown v Bangor, Portadown, 1pm; Bandon v North Down, Bandon Grammar, 2pm; Queens University v Newry, QUB, 2.30pm; South Antrim v Rathgar Chiefs, Laurelhill, 2.30pm. Munster Div 1: Cork Harlequins B v Cork Harlequins, Farmer’s Cross, 1pm; Cork C of I B v UCC, Garryduff, 2pm. Women: Electric Ireland Irish Senior Cup Rd 2: Catholic Institute P Pegasus P; Corinthian v Ballymoney, Whitechurch, 2.15pm; Armagh v Hermes, Ardmore LC, 2.30pm; Ards v Ulster Elks, Ards LC, 4pm. Electric Ireland Irish Hockey Trophy Rd 2: Cork C of I v Waterford, Garryduff, 12pm; NICS v Genesis, Stormont, 1pm; Ballyclare v Rathgar, Ballyclare, 2.30pm; Cookstown v Omagh, Coolnafranky, 4pm. Munster Div 1: UCC v Bandon, Mardyke, 2.30pm.