Institute and UCC renew acquaintances

The first leg of a potentially decisive rivalry in the Munster women’s season gets underway on Saturday when UCC and Catholic Institute clash at the Mardyke (3pm). UCC and Cork Harlequins have battled it out for supremacy over the past two seasons, but Institute are now the coming force in Munster. Ger O’Carroll’s girls have benefited from the arrivals of former Irish internationals Eimear Cregan and Elaine Bromell and the ongoing maturing process of underage internationals Rebecca Barry, Roisin Upton and Naomi Carroll.

They boast a 100% league record and a five-point lead, having confidently seen off all-comers this term despite key midfielder Kym Daly missing the majority of the season with injury. Second-placed College will nonetheless be determined to test that record to the full over the next five weeks; the sides meet twice more, once in league action in Limerick, and in the IHL at the Mardyke. Paidi Hartnett’s side lacks the international quality of yesteryear, as Aine Connery, Audrey O’Flynn, Julia O’Halloran and Hollie Moffett have all moved on. Current Irish squad member Miriam Crowley is still in situ though – if her central preparation programme commitments allow her to play here – while ex-Ireland U18 Olivia Roycroft’s move to sweeper has helped keep continuity of distribution. New girls Aine Curran, Kate Humphreys and the pacy Andrea Bickerdike have settled in well too. Institute will nonetheless start as slight favourites; their battles with College brought out the best in them in recent seasons without yielding results, and they won’t be lacking in motivation. It doesn’t get any easier for College this weekend as they meet Quins, three points further back in third, at Farmer’s Cross less than 24 hours later, a back game leftover from December’s big freeze. Who has the greater will to win here will be fascinating. College have the heartbreak of two successive league title playoff defeats etched in their memories, and will smell blood against a much-changed Quins outfit. However, the hosts will not be willing to go quietly as their Munster monopoly is challenged. They have began to find some form after initially struggling to cope with the departures of messrs Kohler and Bateman et al; an Irish Senior Cup victory over Ards and a 2-2 draw with in-form Ulster side Armagh in the IHL are testament to that.

Stephen Dale’s troops still possess a strong spine, led by Cliodhna Sargent – who, like Crowley, is likely to be tied up with Irish CPP commitments – and Rachel McSharry, with Leanne Mullins and Acacia Taylor also beginning to grow into their bigger roles this term. That College must play their two biggest rivals in one weekend may be construed as unlucky, and their stomach for the fight against Quins may be tempered by the Institute result; lose to the latter, and their title destiny will be already out of their hands. Elsewhere, C of I and UL are both seeking a second win of the campaign when they meet at Garryduff in one of the first Munster league clashes on the new sand-based pitch out Rochestown way. C of I are putting out their youngest first team in the best part of half a decade right now, but will nonetheless back themselves at home against a UL side who have began to show signs of improvement but still struggle on the road. Meanwhile, Bandon will be quietly confident of their chances of progression in the Irish Trophy, despite having to travel to Suttonians in round two. Confidence has been high in west Cork as their brilliant win on the road at Ballymena in round one has been followed up by positive domestic results, and a serious spread of goalscorers. Ex-Quins stalwart Hilary Chapple will bring all of her experience of white-hot Irish cup action to the fore, while Ali Kingston, Amy Hosford and Sarah Gray are also proven performers. Suttonians currently lie fourth in Leinster’s Division Three with nine wins from four, but having seen off Carrickfergus in round one, Bandon coach John Dennis won’t be taking them lightly. Ashton take on Wexford in a rearranged round one clash at their Cork school base, and they can also call on some decent domestic form to extract confidence from. Caroline McCarthy has led by example since taking over the captain’s armband with regular goals, ably supported by the likes of Emma Harrington and Jess Kelleher, while Kate Harvey is turning into a real find too. Meanwhile, there’s plenty of Munster interest as the women’s Irish Challenge moves to round two. Limerick face a trek to Banbridge, but Dungarvan have home advantage in a tricky tie against Leinster’s meteoric risers Monkstown. Tipperay welcome competition experts YMCA to the Cannon Hayes Sports Ground on Sunday, with Clonmel expecting a visit from Enniscorthy at Rockwell College. Saturday Irish Trophy Rd 2: Suttonians v Bandon (Sutton Park, 3pm); Rd 1: Ashton v Wexford (Ashton School, 1pm); Munster Div 1: UCC v Catholic Institute (Mardyke, 3pm); Cork C of I v UL (Garryduff, 3.30pm) Irish Challenge Rd 2: Banbridge vs Limerick, 1pm, Havelock Park; Dungarvan vs Monkstown, 3pm, St Augustine’s College. Sunday Munster Div 1: Cork Harlequins v UCC (Harlequin Park, 1pm). Irish Challenge Rd 2: Tipperary vs YMCA, 1.30pm, Cannon Hayes Sports Ground; Clonmel vs Enniscorthy, 1pm, Rockwell College.