Killester begin defence in Cork

On a weekend when the Superleague gives way to the first round of the ESB Cup, the only certainty is that the 16 clubs will be reduced to eight.

Whatever form has been shown in the first weeks of the season rarely counts for anything under the knock-out pressure of the cup, with victory bringing them one step closer to the coveted finals weekend in January.

Leading the pressure ratings is tomorrow's clash between Neptune and defending champions Killester. After Wednesday night's win over Killarney, Neptune are top of the league as one of only two unbeaten sides (the other being Tralee). The Cork club are also hungry for cup success having been starved since the two wins in the early 1990s.

Killester, in contrast, have struggled over the early weeks of the league, and only last Sunday recorded their first win after a hard battle with Limerick. The journey into Cork adds to their challenge, though the squad is coming together as John Quigley returns and Ed Randolf recovers from injury.

Even with their proven start in the league, Neptune are not without their problems. Noel Allen resigned as coach earlier in the week due to ill health (Martin Ahearne takes over), and they've also just lost David Langrell to the British League. Still, team confidence coupled with home advantage should see them through.

Tomorrow's other big attraction is the meeting of Ballina and Tralee. Despite their non-league status, few clubs have a cup reputation like Ballina, and last year they went all the way to the final. Still inspired by the likes of Deora Marsh and Liam McHale, they remain a team to fear.

Their home advantage won't be as noticeable, however, as the game is being played in Castlebar rather than Killalla. Tralee's bench are also fired up more than ever and appear unlikely to suffer a first round loss similar to last year.

Elsewhere, Notre Dame are expected to use their league experience to the maximum to get past Tolka Rovers, while fellow Dublin side St Vincent's also have the momentum to get past Tyrone. Sutton, the other non-league club to qualify, are at home to Star of the Sea and are capable of pulling off a surprise.

The Women's Cup starts out with 12 teams and, unlike the men, is run on a seeded draw. There are no all-league games, so the division one teams have their work cut out from the start.

On current form, Longford Falcons may sneak past Meteors, who have yet to record a league win. But it's hard to see how Crusaders can overcome holders Wildcats on Sunday afternoon.