Round 1 of the Energia Cup Series kicks off this week, as teams look to start on a positive note with a lot of teams missing some big names ahead of the campaign getting underway.
Cooke V Ballincollig, Saturday January 26th, Shaws Bridge, 5pm
Having both finished in the bottom places at the end of the AIL season, Cooke and Ballincollig hope for better fortunes to start their cup campaign.
Cooke finished bottom of the Division that ended before Christmas and now are without India Daley, Kelly McCormil, Sadhbh McGrath and Stacey Sloan who are all away in the Celtic Challenge squad, McCormil, Daley and McGrath are the only ones named to travel to Wales, a waiting game if Sloan is available.
Bar injuries or other issues Ballincollig should be at full strength this weekend hoping for another win over Cooke, it was their only win of the campaign but a win over them this time around could prove pivotal with other teams missing some key players.
Galwegians V UL Bohemian, Saturday January 26th, Crowley Park, 5pm
The conference finalists go up against the beaten league semi finalists out West, hoping to start on a positive note.
With Orla Dixon and Kayla Waldron away with Ireland duties, will hopefully welcome back a lot of their Connacht players who featured in the Interpro series in recent weeks, Wegians looked a solid unit in the league and would suffer defeat to Wicklow also, but the cup can bring new fortunes.
Bohs are without three players who started for Munster and Connacht respectively in the Interpro’s and also for the club during the AIL season, Clara Barrett, Claire Bennett, Nicole Cronin and Clodagh O’Halloran are all away with the Celtic Challenge, Cronin is the only player not named travelling to Wales, the Robins finished the season strong and hope to keep that going this weekend.
Railway Union V Wicklow, Saturday January 26th, Park Avenue, 5pm
Conference WInners Wicklow hope to start the Cup series on a winning start but this year’s league finalists will prove a test.
After suffering defeat to Blackrock and being unable to retain their league title this season, Railway hope for better fortunes in the cup, seven players are absent Chloe Blackmore, Molly Boyne, Megan Louise Collis, Aoife Doyle, Alisa Hughes, Molly Scuffil McCabe and Leah Tarpey all are with Ireland, Hughes, Blackmore and Boyne all make the 23, if they get some players back it will be a boost but serves as a great test for other squad members to get gametime.
Wicklow will be without their talented full-back Ella Roberts as she misses out with the Celtic Challenge, they were strong in claiming the conference title and having just missed out on the top four spot they are back in search of more silverware.
Suttonians V Blackrock College, Saturday January 26th, JJ McDowell Memorial Grounds 5pm
Suttonians will hope to get an opening round win in the cup as Blackrock are a wounded animal with the most players missing from their squad.
Sutts narrowly lost by five points in the conference semi final and with a squad with no departures will hopefully be strong enough to topple the league winners, they were beaten 79-0 in Stradbrook in November and will hope for a positive outcome this time around.
13 players are away with Ireland for Blackrock, a who’s who of big notable omissions but they have a strong squad aiming to continue an unbeaten run that stretches from the start of their league campaign, it comes as a blow to their prep but they will regardless be a formidable opponent despite a depleted squad.
Diarmuid Kearney
Diarmuid Kearney is a freelance Sports Journalist based in Co Kerry. He has more than 5 years experience covering domestic and international soccer for different media organisations, while also working for local and national print and digital organisations covering GAA.