Insta lead Munster charge for IHL playoff place

As Munster’s sole women’s side with a win in this season’s Irish Hockey League, Ger O’Carroll’s Catholic Institute will be looking to progress their playoff claims on Saturday against winless Old Alex.

Insta moved into a three-way share of second spot in Pool A of the competition last Saturday with Jane Bourke snagging a last-gasp win at Armagh. With leaders Pegasus facing unbeaten UCD on the same, opportunity knocks for Insta to make further upward headway but they will need to be wary of an Alex side that will have Shirley McCay in harness from the start. The Irish centurion missed the first half against Pegasus as she attended her masters’ graduation last weekend. Her side had fallen 2-0 down in that time before rallying in the second period with McCay at the base of midfield. With Roisin Flinn, who comes with plenty of Limerick-family links, Alex have quality around midfield to threaten while six underage interprovincial players aim to use their pace up front to test Elaine Brommell’s back-line at Rosbrien. At this early stage in the showcase league, the Limerick side are the only side from the province that look like they can break an Ulster-Leinster duopoly on semi-final places. They have stiff opposition, though, as UCD, unbeaten in the Leinster league and with the intervarsities retained, can well and truly announce themselves on the national stage on Saturday evening on the Malone Road as they travel to Belfast to play national champs Pegasus. Postponing last week’s tie with Hermes has ratcheted up the ante in Pool A with four clubs now separated by just two points, meaning any win over near rivals will prove seismic. UCD won the student event on Tuesday with ten freshers in their number, overhauling a panel which got to the semi-finals of the IHL last term. They fell at that stage to Pegasus – as they did in the Senior Cup – to a Suzanne Beaney inspired Pegs and controlling the striker and forward partner Vanessa Surgeoner will be central. Hermes get back into the competition with a home tie against Armagh, looking to add to their bonus point win in the only game they have played to date in the IHL. UCC have seven points to make up in Pool B, making their date with Loreto – off the back of two bonus point wins – a do-or-die encounter. Following a disappointing intervarsity campaign, ending in the plate semi-finals with a 1-0 loss to Trinity, they must now marshal an all-star attacking line-up of Irish internationals Nicci Daly, Niamh Small and Cathy McKean. Cork Harlequins are a point better off but have played a game more. They travel to meet Lurgan for the first time in their history.

The big game in the group, though, is the battle between Railway Union and Ballymoney, any loss leaving the Park Avenue hosts liable to play serious catch-up. Both sides are unbeaten in all competitions so far, making for a top tie. Emer Lucey is now free to focus solely on hockey having helped Ballyboden St Enda’s to the Leinster club camogie championship final while Julia O’Halloran played a key part in last week’s win over Hermes and could be key again. Keeping a lid on free-scoring Katie Mullan and getting around Bridget Cleland are the big tasks, respectively. Limerick, Ashton and Bandon get their Irish Hockey Trophy campaigns underway while Cork Wanderers, Clonmel and Tipperary debut in this season’s Irish Hockey Challenge first round. On the men’s side, Harlequins host an Instonians’ side livid at being docked two points in midweek for fielding an ineligible player in their 4-0 loss to Monkstown. Quins’ Phil McLaughlin and Dan Hobbs are injury doubts in the Pool A basement battle but the lack of bonus point wins so far means the table is still quite tight and any victor will close the gap. Glenanne, meanwhile, have some catching up to after a stunning Instonians turnaround last weekend which saw them concede twice in the closing five minutes to ship a 3-2 defeat. Gary Shaw had been superb on his return in scoring and creating goals and a 2-0 lead at half-time. However, John Watson inspired a comeback to add extra pressure to Cookstown’s trip to Glenanne Park. The Co Tyrone side have won there before and, with Joe Brennan out, they will sniff an opening again but they have defensive shortages of their own with Godfrey Irwin out. Monkstown travel north for a second successive week against EHL opposition having come through a trip to Cookstown relatively unscathed. Havelock Park is the destination this week to play Banbridge, putting top spot in the group on the line. Robbie McFarlane is in red-hot form. Bann are without Josh Moffett from their forward line but they found form last weekend against Cork Harlequins to get them back in the play-off mix and their early evening games can provide an extra man with a partisan local crowd to feed off. In Pool B, a potential split could occur as the top three meet the bottom trio. Cork C of I host inconsistent YMCA and their Australian quintet who bounced back from three successive losses in all competitions to smash Annadale 4-1. Former Cork C of I forwards Stephen Parker and Jonny Bruton could return to haunt their old club for the Y will hope that their run of three losses was just a blip. Andy Walker returned to positive effect while David Robinson appeared galvanised in netting a couple of second half penalty corners, a facet of their game which had been a cause for concern.

For the Garryduff side, holding onto a lead is their aim after twice giving up an advantage but without John Jermyn’s scheming and corner prowess, their attacking options are stunted. Billy Lynch has been superb between the posts and will need that run to continue. Pembroke have the skills to break through Annadale’s compact defensive while Three Rock welcome table-toppers Lisnagarvey to Grange Road for the third time in the competition, both with a bonus-point win a piece to their name in previous editions. On the domestic scene, C of I’s B team host Bandon who have a chance of taking top spot in the local division if they get the better of the basement side. Fixtures (all Saturday): Women’s Irish Hockey League, Pool A: Pegasus v UCD, 6pm, Queens Uni; Catholic Institute v Old Alex, 3pm, Rosbrien; Hermes v Armagh, 3pm, St Andrews Pool B: Lurgan v Cork Harlequins, 1pm, Lurgan; UCC v Loreto, 2pm, Mardyke; Railway Union v Ballymoney, 4pm, Park Avenue Irish Hockey Trophy, round one: Ballymena vs Limerick, 1pm, Ballymena Showgrounds; NUIG vs Muckross, 1pm, Dangan; Ashton vs Rathgar, 2.30pm, Ashton school; Avoca vs Bandon, 2pm, Newpark Irish Hockey Challenge, round one: Monkstown vs Gorey, 3pm, Rathdown; Cork Wanderers vs Clonmel, 12pm, Harlequin Park; Botanic vs Wexford II, 1pm, Glasnevin; Tipperary vs Enniscorthy, 2.30pm, Canon Hayes Sports Centre Men’s Irish Hockey League, Pool A: Banbridge v Monkstown, 5pm, Havelock Park; Cork Harlequins v Instonians, 3pm, Harlequin Park; Glenanne v Cookstown, 3pm, Glenanne Park Pool B: Cork C of I v YMCA, 2.30pm, Garryduff; Three Rock Rovers v Lisnagarvey, 3pm, Grange Rd; Pembroke v Annadale, 3pm, Serpentine Ave Munster Men’s Divisions One: Cork C of I B v Bandon, 4.30pm, Garryduff