Quins sweat over Black injury fears

Cork Harlequins are facing a potential injury crisis for tomorrow’s Munster Senior Cup semi-final clash with perennial rivals Cork Church of Ireland at Harlequin Park (1.30pm). Brothers Dan and John Hobbs, David Lombard and Eddie Dore are all carrying knocks, but manager Donal Kingston said all bar John Hobbs trained on Tuesday night and are hopeful of taking part. But of most concern to Kingston and coach Stephen Dale, as they face into a busy ISC and IHL period, will be the absence tomorrow of talisman Mark Black. Having sat out last weekend’s 5-0 win over UCC, the 113-times capped Irish international faces a scan today (Friday) to determine the extent of a knee injury picked up against Annadale three weeks ago.

While it is not yet clear how long he will be out for, all at the club – and in Munster hockey in general – will be hoping there is no repeat of the career-threatening cruciate ligament injury which kept him out for a year in 2003. If C of I were expecting UCC to provide them with cannon fodder as a warm-up to Saturday’s encounter, they got more than they bargained for despite taking the points with a 3-0 win at the Mardyke last night. Things looked ominous when Peter Catchpole converted C of I’s first short corner early on, before Jonny Bruton capitalised on a defensive error to round Kieran Healy for the visitors’ second. Stephen Parker added another shortly before the break, but the floodgates never opened thereafter, as C of I seemed surprised that College were fighting tooth and nail for every loose ball. College were full value for keeping their goal intact for the second half, with man-of-the-match Healy shutting out John Jermyn from corners and making a succession of quality saves from play. In the other Division One game of the evening, Bandon’s women scored a highly-impressive 6-2 win at Ashton, with Jane O’Higgins, Amy Roycroft and Lorna Dennehy all getting doubles. Emma Harrington and Karen Stokes replied for the hosts. Meanwhile, the picture should become a lot clearer in the men’s and women’s Irish Senior Cups, as the majority of the quarter-finalists should be known by Saturday night. Cork Church of Ireland’s women have been lumbered with the longest round two trek – to Co Antrim to take on Ballymoney – while there are three Leinster derbies as Loreto seek to tame UCD, Railway Union host Old Alex and Glenanne travel to Corinthian. In the men’s competition, Three Rock Rovers will look to hand Bangor their first home defeat of the season, with the carrot of a home quarter-final against either Glenanne or North Down for the winners. Annadale go in search of revenge over Lisnagarvey, who beat them 2-1 to extinguish their league hopes last weekend, when the sides meet again on the national stage at Hillsborough.

Ulster champions-in-waiting Cookstown travel to Fingal, while Cork Harlequins will finally know the identity of their last 16 opposition when Raphoe host Banbridge in a twice-delayed first round tie. Domestically, Cork Harlequins have a chance to re-establish a six-point advantage at the top of the Munster women’s league when they host struggling Belvedere, though C of I will still have the requisite number of games in hand to catch them. Intervarsity bragging rights go on the line at Mardyke where UCC will look to keep touch with the leaders when they host UL, with Orla Crowley set to return for the hosts following a sternum injury suffered against Railway Union last month. Elsewhere, mid-table sides Bandon and Catholic Institute can all but secure their Division One status should either take full points from their Rosbrien clash. Cork Harlequins B will also be hoping to ease relegation fears in the men’s competition as they travel to Bandon, while C of I B go to Limerick to take on Institute, who have shipped 34 goals in their last four games but will be encouraged that one of those was a narrow 1-0 cup loss to this weekend’s opposition. Meanwhile, it’s a big weekend for Galway’s ladies as they travel to to Lousada, Portugal for this weekend’s European Indoor Club Champion’s Challenge with a squad which coach Richie Malone describes as “the ideal blend of youth and experience”. His squad will be led by former outdoor international goalkeeper Tara Browne – adding another chapter to an incredible career which saw her previously take on Europe with Hermes in the outdoor game. “I’m delighted Tara has decided to take on this challenge, it’s another unique achievement for her in her career and it’s great that the other players in the club can draw on her previous European experience,” said Malone. Browne was one of the key members of the squad that won the ladies Indoor Cup at the first attempt in 2008 with a 3-2 win over Railway in the final to quality for a shot at the European crown. Malone has included a number of the club’s underage internationals in his side, with the likes of Freddie Timmins and Jessica McMickan making the trip, while Belgium-based Ciara Murphy may also link up with her hometown club as they look to finish in the top two of their six-team group. They open with a double-header on Friday, facing Serbia’s HK Bask and Denmark’s Slagelse. Saturday sees the westerners take on Wales’ Howardian LHC and the hosts AD Lousada. The final group game, early on Sunday, is against the Turkish side, Cankaya Bld SC. You can follow Galway’s progress via the club’s tournament microsite, located here.

Men Irish Senior Cup Round 2: Mossley vs NICS (The Glade, 2.30pm); Corinthian vs Railway Union (Whitechurch, 1pm); Lisnagarvey vs Annadale (2.30pm, Hillsborough); Bangor vs Three Rock Rovers (Bangor, 2.30pm); North Down vs Glenanne (Comber Road, 2.30pm); Fingal vs Cookstown (ALSAA, 1pm). Round 1: Raphoe vs Banbridge (Royal and Prior, 2.30pm). Munster Senior Cup semi-final: Cork Harlequins vs Cork C of I (Harlequin Park, 1.30pm) Munster Div 1: Catholic Institute vs Cork C of I B (Rosbrien, 3pm); Bandon vs Cork Harlequins B (Bandon GS, 3pm) Women ESB Irish Senior Cup Round 2: Loreto vs UCD (Beaufort, 2.45pm); Railway Union vs Old Alex (Park Avenue, 2.30pm); Corinthian vs Glenanne (Whitechurch, 3pm); Lurgan vs Armagh (Brownlow, 2.30pm); Ballymoney vs Cork C of I (Joey Dunlop Centre, 2.30pm); Pembroke Wanderers vs Belfast Harlequins (Serpentine Avenue, 3.30pm). Munster Div 1: Catholic Institute vs Bandon (Rosbrien, 1pm); Cork Harlequins vs Belvedere (Harlequin Park, 3.15pm); UCC vs UL (Mardyke, 3.30pm)