Bandon Hockey Club
Home Venue: Bandon Grammar School
Coaching Staff: TBC
Having reached last season’s EYHL2 playoffs after a third place finish in Pool A, Bandon will hope they can push for promotion once again in this year’s all new format.
The Cork based side have enjoyed a positive start to their campaign overall, sitting second in Munster Division 1 with a respectable record of 3 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss.
Bandon have a challenging start to their campaign to kick things off as they face Leinster’s Portrane and Munster rivals Cork Harlequins in their first two rounds. If they can grab some points from these games, who’s to say where they could ultimately finish up.
First Match: versus Portrane (Home)
Bray Hockey Club
Home Venue: Temple Carrig School
Coaching Staff: Elun Hack, Guy Garrett
Bray make their EYHL2 debut having qualified in the most dramatic fashion, scoring late against Railway Union to secure their place with just seconds to spare.
The team are led by head coach Elun Hack, a very experienced coach who previously work with Three Rock Rovers and in Provincial and National Pathway setups and will now lead a young Bray side into a new and exciting challenge. Daniel Paul at centre back and Richie Williams in midfield are vital leaders for this side, with Sean Cullen and Devan Keenan providing the threat up top. Alongside them are some exciting young players who will gain valuable experience against other top sides like Albie & Cormac Chance, and Adam Bailey, all of which are enjoying the challenges that Senior hockey brings.
The next nine rounds will give Bray a taste of what the very top is like, an opportunity they can use to accelerate their growth into regular competitor at this level.
First Match: versus Queen’s University Belfast (Away)
Catholic Institute
Home Venue: Rosbrien
Coaching Staff: Michael Houghton, Brian Collins, Trevor Golden, Ken Stockil
Another EYHL2 debutant, Catholic Institute have an exciting few months ahead as they continue building their way to the very top of Irish Hockey. New Zealand native Michael Houghton has been central in this current phase, which has seen Institute compete with top Munster sides so far this season.
Central to their success in their connection with local schools like Villiers and Ardscoil Ris, where emerging talents Rian Acheson and Teige Moloney both hail from. Alongside them are a plethora of club grown talents, with Chris Ryan returning to Rosbrien after a spell with Avoca helping them to EYHL promotion, as well as captain Jack Stockil, Hugh Walsh, and Cillian Archer.
First Match: versus Instonians (Home)
CI Annadale
Home Venue: CIYMS Sports Club
Coaching Staff: Gareth Kidd, David Smyth, John Clark
Under their new moniker, CI Annadale will look to try make an immediate push back to the EYHL after last season’s relegation, with experienced coach Gareth Kidd on hand to help them do so.
Some high profile exits at the start of this season mean it’s a largely new squad this year that will compete, providing opportunities for young players to step up. Among those players are Michael Girvin, Harry Thompson and new arrival Matthew Lunn, all of which are involved in Ireland’s pathway set up. They have some experienced heads around them in goalkeeper Scott Dale and club stalwart and captain Chris Morrow to name just two, from whom they can draw top division experience from.
Annadale have set a target of promotion, a goal they will need to be in top form to achieve given the quality around them this season. No doubt though, their previous experience will give them a potentially crucial edge.
First Match: versus South Antrim (Home)
Clontarf Hockey Club
Home Venue: Mount Temple
Coaching Staff: Ian Maxwell, Ross McMullen, Ian Maxwell
One of Leinster top sides at present are back in the EYHL2 for the second year running, and look set to join the tight battle for the promotion places this season.
After a difficult campaign last year, the side look back to their best, having come joint top of their Leinster League with eight wins and a draw, scoring 57 goals in those games, the most of any side.
Central to that has been the leadership of captain Tim Cullen and the senior players he has around him, like Luke Hayden, Sam Grace, Kevin Mullins and Richie Forrest. Te side have also been bolstered by the return of John McNally from a year abroad in Australia where he deployed his cricketing talents, and the continued development of young forward Lee McMullen after a positive campaign with Leinster.
While the team have their sights set on a competitive campaign, there’s no reason they can’t go one better than that, particularly if they can make a strong start against Cork Harlequins away from home.
First Match: versus Cork Harlequins (Away)
Cork Harlequins
Home Venue: Harlequin Park
Coaching Staff: Jason Black, Denis Pritchard, Mark O’Driscoll
Back-to-back semi-final exits in the EYHL2 mean Munster powerhouses Cork Harlequins will have a point to prove this year as they once again look to gain promotion to the EYHL.
Jason Black is in his first year as head coach and has guided Quins to the top of Munster Division 1 once again. Julia Dale is providing the sides with goals from open play and penalty corners yet again, with brother Sam Dale their engine in midfield as he continues to develop into one of the countries’ top players after a superb campaign with the IRL U21 Men at the FIH Junior World Cup.
Alongside them is a crop of stars ready to make a name for themselves, with Will Black and Charlie Bateman both held in high regard having partaking in the Ireland Pathway squads last season, while Cua Twomey and Sean Curtin also possess heaps of potential, and play across Quins’ backline.
Will this be the year Cork harlequins finally achieve the topflight dream they have chased for so long? Only time will tell!
First Match: versus Clontarf (Home)
Instonians Hockey Club
Home Venue: Shaw’s Bridge
Coaching Staff: TBC
A respectable start to the 2025/26 season sees Instonians occupy third in the Ulster Premier League after 11 matches, recording 5 wins, 2 draws, and four losses, with a late title charge very much still a possibility depening on how the teams above them fair.
The showed plenty of promise in last year’s EYHL2 picking up points against both Portrane and Cork Harlequins but falling short at a shot at promotion after an exit in the Play-Off Quarter Finals.
This year the side will hope they can push for a topflight return once again after two years away from the EYHL.
First Match: versus Catholic Institute (Away)
Portrane Hockey Club
Home Venue: Donabate Community Centre
Coaching Staff: Ross Hetem, Derek Ledwidge
Having knocked on the door of the EYHL last year and coming up just short to Cork C of I, Portrane are once again setting their sights firmly on promotion and a first season in the topflight.
The Dublin side look even more determined to achieve their goal this year after an almost perfect Leinster League campaign, topping their group with 8 wins and 1 loss.
Player-coach Ross Hetem has the side playing a high-intensity, front foot brand of hockey that has spectators sitting on the edge of their seat, with energetic players like Noa Mulvey and brother Tom, Tristan Boyall and Liam Walsh also central to that.
A tough away trip to Bandon kicks off, Portrane’s promotion campaign, a win there will get them off to the perfect start.
First Match: versus Bandon (Away)
Queen’s University Belfast
Home Venue: The Dub
Coaching Staff: Matthew Bell, Scott McCabe, Jamie Mulholland
Currently dominating the Ulster Men’s Premier League and hoping to do the same in the EYHL2 is Queen’s. New head coach and former International Matthew Bell cut his proverbial coaching teeth as an assistant coach with Banbridge and the IRL U21 Men, while also heading up the Ulster U16s, and has now propelled Queen’s to top spot in Ulster with 7 wins and one draw, two points clear at the top with two games in hand on chasing South Antrim.
Being a university team, the side have an abundance of youth an energy to call upon like Ben Law, Carter McClure and JJ Holley. Scott McCabe has International Indoor experience and skill to call upon also, giving him a competitive edge, while Mark Barlow and Charlie McKeown have both played EYHL Division 1 hockey with their clubs before making the switch to Queen’s.
The Men’s side will hope to replicate the achievement of their Women’s squad, who were promoted in 2024/25 and are now sitting among the top sides in the EYHL Division 1.
First Match: versus Bray (Home)
South Antrim Hockey Club
Home Venue: Friends’ School
Coaching Staff: Chris McCandless, Ross Johnson, Jonny Taylor
A slow start to 2025/26, with six new players and a new coach joining the 1XI, South Antrim are finding their rhythm at almost the perfect time. After losing their opening game in the Ulster Premier League, followed by a win, a draw and another loss, South then went on a six-game unbeaten run, taking them to their current league position of second.
The side have been bolstered by the additions of David Arneill, Matthew Campton, Jacob Hermon, Tom McClintock, Max Taylor and Harry Yarr, who line out alongside long-time captain Jack Moore. Young Jo Bennet is also an exciting prospect, breaking into the first team after a successful summer with the Ulster U18s.
South Antrim’s provincial surge could be a sign of what’s to come for them, with the team picking up results against promotion hopefuls QUB and Instonians thus far. South are not a team to be underestimated.
First Match: versus CI Annadale (Away).