C of I B search for capital gains

Early Irish Junior Cup favourites Cork Church of Ireland will be hoping to avoid a potential banana skin as they visit Dubliners Weston in the competition’s secound round tomorrow. The Garryduff side’s second string are fancied by many to go all the way in the competition, having already eliminated big hitters Annadale and Cork Harlequins in earlier rounds. They will be largely taking a trip into the unknown when they face Weston’s seconds, who are currently languishing at the wrong end of Division Four in Leinster and arrive at this juncture by virtue of a walkover from UCC in round one.

The only other Munster side left in the competition, Bandon B, welcome Corinthians – riding high at the top of Leinster’s third division – to west Cork. Cookstown’s clash with Lisnagarvey at Coolnafranky is the pick of the remaining ties. In the women’s competition, Cork Harlequins face the daunting task of attempting to down Pegasus in Belfast, while UCC’s tie with last year’s finalists Railway Union has been moved to January 24, and will be part of a mouth-watering Mardyke double-header that also sees the clubs clash in the Irish Senior Cup. C of I meet Ashton, 3-0 winners over Clontarf in round one, on Sunday.  It’s a big weekend for the Blackrock Road outfit as their firsts head north to meet Ulster Elks in the quarter-finals of the Irish Trophy. Catholic Institute travel to Three Rock Ladies in the same tournament, and there is the added reward of an Irish Senior Cup berth for the victors of both ties. In Munster, C of I can draw level with Quins at the summit of the women’s league if they win their game in hand against Bandon. UCC will be hoping to stay in touch as they host Belvedere, with club captain Sarah Gray poised to make a comeback after a four-month injury layoff, pending a fitness test at training last night. However, the students have a number of other injury doubts; Hollie Moffett is still nursing a hairline cheekbone fracture, Audrey O’Flynn has a foot problem while Orla Crowley and Fiona O’Connell are other potential absentees, The men’s league sees Catholic Institute host the might of Quins, which should serve as a perfect warm-up for the Limerick club’s Irish Senior Cup tie at Leinster powerhouses Glenanne next weekend. Bandon will be determined to stem the flow of penalty corners that undid them in an 8-0 defeat to C of I earlier this term when they host the leaders on Sunday. At the other end of the table, UCC will be determined to put some daylight between themselves and basement side Quins B. But the students will need to improve on their pre-Christmas displays against the same opposition, which saw them slip to two heavy defeats.