WOMEN'S HOCKEY:With just over three months to go before Ireland commence battle with Korea, Italy, Canada, Malaysia and Uruguay for the one Olympic spot available to the winners of the qualifier in Canada coach Gene Muller will be able to test the progress of his team when they take on his native South Africa and the Dutch under-21 side in Stellenbosch and Cape Town over the next 10 days.
The squad received a boost before its departure for South Africa when the ESB, its sponsor, announced additional funding for its bid to qualify for Beijing. That funding will contribute towards the financing of a build-up that will also take the squad to Spain in early February for two games against the Spanish in Terrassa and an as yet unconfirmed trip further afield, Asia and Australia both being mooted.
The South African trip should, at the very least, be a test of the players' endurance with a schedule that includes six games - four against their hosts and two against the Dutch - in eight days, as well as at least one training session a day.
Muller has brought a squad of 22 players, which includes the uncapped Emma Gray (Hermes), Niamh Small (Loreto) and Louisa Moore, a former member of the South African squad. "It is a very demanding schedule that will test the players physically," said Muller, who must reduce the squad to 18 for the qualifier. Their first opponents are South Africa tomorrow, followed by the Dutch on Sunday.
Back home there's a busy club programme over the weekend with Pembroke Wanderers, seeking their first Leinster League title in over 30 years, resuming their campaign with a one-point lead at the top of the table.
Pembroke host Corinthian in Ballsbridge while Railway Union, a point adrift, are away to Old Alexandra. Loreto and Hermes, in third and fourth, play the bottom two clubs, Genesis and Three Rock, while UCD and Trinity meet again, three days after Trinity knocked their old rivals out of the Jacqui Potter Cup. There are seven more cup ties on Sunday with the teams battling it out for a place in the last eight of the competition.
FIXTURES: Leinster League - Tomorrow - Division One:UCD v Trinity, Belfield, 11.15; Old Alexandra v Railway Union, Booterstown, 12.15; Pembroke Wanderers v Corinthian, Ballsbridge, 2.0; Genesis v Loreto, Belfield, 2.30; Hermes v Three Rock, Booterstown, 3.30. Division Two: Corinthian II v Loreto II, Whitechurch, 11.30; Clontarf v Glenanne, Clontarf, 12.30; Bray v Hermes II, Bray, 1.15; Old Alexandra II v Railway Union II, Booterstown, 2.0; Pembroke II v Suttonians, Ballsbridge, 3.30.
Leinster Jacqui Potter Cup - Sunday:Bray v Pembroke, Bray, 1.15; Old Alexandra II v Loreto II, Booterstown, 2.0; Corinthian v Hermes, Whitechurch, 2.0; Railway II v Genesis, Sandymount, 2.30; Loreto v Hermes II, Beaufort, 2.30; Clontarf v Glenanne, Clontarf, 3.0; Railway v Corinthian II, Sandymount, 4.15.
Munster League - Tomorrow - Division One:Ashton v Church of Ireland, Ashton School, 12.30; Cork Harlequins v UCC, Farmers Cross, 3.0; Bandon v Catholic Institute, Bandon Grammar School, 12.30.
