WOMEN'S HOCKEY: ROUND TWO of the Irish Hockey League gets under way tomorrow with 10 teams in action, before Loreto and Pegasus complete the weekend's schedule at Beaufort on Sunday afternoon. That game has a "tie of the round" look to it, bearing in mind the success both clubs have enjoyed in recent years, but the other five fixtures are no less intriguing, especially in light of the closeness of the opening round matches.
Pegasus needed a last-minute winner to take the points from their game against Railway Union last month, but they trail Loreto in the Pool A table after the Dublin club picked up a bonus point from their 5-2 defeat of Belfast Harlequins - the only first-round tie where a team won by more than a goal.
The Ulster champions swept Loreto aside in Belfast when they last met, beating them 5-2 in the semi-finals of the Irish Senior Cup in March, but home advantage this time around should see Loreto test their old rivals.
Church of Ireland, 1-0 winners over Randalstown in the first round, are level on three points with Pegasus and face Ulster opposition again when they travel to Deramore Park to take on Belfast Harlequins.
Railway, meanwhile, host Randalstown at Park Avenue, a game they should win if they maintain the form they have been producing in their league.
Hermes and Pembroke Wanderers, the only Pool B teams to win their opening games, are both away this weekend, Hermes, for whom Jenny Burke is expected to make her Irish Hockey League debut, travelling to Armagh, who are still weakened by the absence of the injured Amy Stewart and Stephanie Quinn.
Pembroke head south to take on Munster champions Cork Harlequins, who will be intent on bouncing back from a 3-0 league defeat by UCC, while UCD play host to Ballymoney at Belfield, with former Irish captain Lynsey McVicker available again for the Ulster side after returning from her honeymoon.
FIXTURES
Irish Hockey League
ROUND TWO - Pool A - Tomorrow: Belfast Harlequins v Church of Ireland, Deramore, 2.30; Railway Union v Randalstown, Park Avenue, 6.0. Sunday: Loreto v Pegasus, Beaufort, 3.0. Pool B - Tomorrow: Armagh v Hermes, Ardmore, 2.0; UCD v Ballymoney, Belfield, 4.0; Cork Harlequins v Pembroke Wanderers, Harlequin Park, 1.0.
Leinster League - Division One - Tomorrow: Corinthian v Old Alexandra, Whitechurch Park, 1.0; Glenanne v Bray, Tallaght, 12.30.
