Toughest of openers for UCC

University College Cork’s new-look side couldn’t have asked for a tougher league campaign opener than a trip to tackle champions Catholic Institute at Rosbrien tomorrow (1.30pm). Paidi Hartnett has seen nine players leave this summer — including Irish international Miriam Crowley — but eight have come in to replace them, led by Irish Youth Olympian Amy-Kate Trevor. Institute got the better of College four times last season and are hot favourites to retain their title after beginning their season with a 6-0 romp away to Bandon last weekend. A result of any kind will therefore be a huge bonus for the students, though curtailing free-scoring Eimear Cregan must be top of their assignment list.

Elsewhere, UL will hope to build on their shock win over Cork Harlequins last weekend as they travel to Bandon — giving Yvonne and Mervyn Peters something of a family dilemma. Their daughter Emma will captain Bandon with her younger sister Steph skippering UL, while Emma’s twin sister Laura also lines out in UL’s colours. Ashton meet Quins with both sides looking for a win after dropping points last week. This won’t be an easy assignment for a relatively young Quins side still coming to terms with the absence of Cliodhna Sargent, Johanna Hyland and Yvonne O’Byrne, who need to quickly shake off the shock of losing to UL on home turf. They nonetheless created plenty of circle entries last week only to ruin them with a lack of composure and movement, giving coach Stephen Dale plenty of fat to chew this week. For Ashton’s part, a point gained at Garryduff would have been seen as a success not so long ago, but they’ll have been disappointed not to make their first-half superiority count for more. Caroline McCarthy remains their main goal threat alongside Emma Harrington. Meanwhile, Adam O’Callaghan and Stuart O’Grady will be on familiar turf when they are among up to six players making their UCC debuts at Garryduff — home of their previous club Cork Church of Ireland — against C of I B (2pm). David Doherty is another returning to his old stomping ground of a couple of seasons ago, while freshers Shrew Power and Cian Kavanagh will also be keen to make big impressions in their first appearance in the skull and crossbones. C of I’s seconds endured a chastening 10-0 loss to Harlequins last week but have a mixture of experienced campaigners such as keeper Andrew Whittaker and Richie Dorman helping younger starlets like Stuart Miller and Richard Sweetnam come on leaps and bounds. Cork Harlequins should win big again this weekend against their own second string,but will surely face a tougher test from Bandon in Sunday’s Peard Cup first round clash, especially given Stephen Jackson’s side will have no Saturday game in their legs. Cork C of Imust also double up this weekend, first heading to Limerick to take on Catholic Institute before meeting Quins B at Farmers Cross in the Peard on Sunday. They’ll quietly be expecting to win both ties, with Alec Moffett looking to continue where he left off after last week’s hat-trick while former UCD man Shane O’Donnell settles in at the back and gets a chance to drag-flick in John Jermyn’s likely absence. Men Div 1: Cork C of I B v UCC (Garryduff, 2pm); Cork Harlequins v Cork Harlequins B (Harlequin Park, 1pm); Catholic Institute v Cork C of I (Rosbrien, 3pm). Peard Cup (Sunday): Cork Harlequins B v Cork C of I (Harlequins Park, TBC); Cork Harlequins v Bandon (Harlequin Park, TBC). Women’s Div 1: Catholic Institute v UCC (Rosbrien, 1.30pm); Bandon v UL (Bandon Grammar, 12.30pm); Ashton v Cork Harlequins (Harlequin Park, 12.15pm).