The endgame may be nearing for a reformation of elite men’s hockey in Munster as the new season begins under something of a shadow.
Having shedded nine first-teamers over the summer – they convinced three more to postpone their retirements – Cork Harlequins this week withdrew their second team from Division 1. That has reduced a top tier that had eight teams in 2009 to just five participants now, drawn from four clubs.
Quins should still be competitive but Cork C of I and UCC are expected to be the two fighting it out for overall honours, a big drop-off for a Quins outfit that won the Irish Senior Cup less than 18 months ago. C of I’s seconds have also lost a lot of bodies – they’ve killed off their fifth XI as they move players up the club – while Bandon are also struggling badly for numbers.
Good work being done in the province at underage level may bear fruit down the line to fill these gaps but there are again major concerns over the health of senior men’s hockey here as clubs must wait and see what happens at national level.
An expanded Irish Hockey League that would take elite sides out of their provincial leagues could be the catalyst for Munster to expand Division 1 to include Ashton, Catholic Institute, Limerick and Midleton, as has been proposed numerous times in recent years – how the current season pans out could go a long way to deciding that.
Quins should still be competitive but Cork C of I and UCC are expected to be the two fighting it out for overall honours, a big drop-off for a Quins outfit that won the Irish Senior Cup less than 18 months ago. C of I’s seconds have also lost a lot of bodies – they’ve killed off their fifth XI as they move players up the club – while Bandon are also struggling badly for numbers.
Good work being done in the province at underage level may bear fruit down the line to fill these gaps but there are again major concerns over the health of senior men’s hockey here as clubs must wait and see what happens at national level.
An expanded Irish Hockey League that would take elite sides out of their provincial leagues could be the catalyst for Munster to expand Division 1 to include Ashton, Catholic Institute, Limerick and Midleton, as has been proposed numerous times in recent years – how the current season pans out could go a long way to deciding that.