Sixteen Leinster clubs can put the stresses and strains of chasing league points out of their minds this weekend when they turn their attention to the second round of the Leinster Senior Cup.
Muckross, having received a bye in to the second round, will open the defence of the trophy they won by beating Loreto in the final last season against Railway Union II at Rathdown. The match of the round should be the meeting of Trinity and Hermes at Belfield, one of only two allSenior A ties. "They will either be well-practised or exhausted," said Hermes coach Roy Horsfield of the students, who spent the week in Belfast playing in the Intervar sities.
Whatever condition Trinity are in, Horsfield, who was impressed by the students' performance against Old Alexandra last week, expects a "flowing, exciting" game. "Trinity are certainly improving after their slow start to the season, and it could be that the games they've had in Belfast this week will make them that bit sharper and fitter."
In the weekend's other allSenior A match, Genesis will hope to improve on their 4-1 league defeat by Loreto in their second match since winning promotion from Senior B. "We have a lot of young players on the team, this Saturday we'll have six under21s," said Genesis captain Siobhan Keogh. "Some of them haven't played Senior A before and it's a big step up.
"We were really struggling early on. Our worst defeat came against Loreto - we were 1-0 up at half time, they scored soon after half time and then we just fell apart. I think that was real inexperience, the heads dropped.
"I think when we came up with such a young team we were nervous that we would be hammered by everybody, but we've grown in confidence since then and the younger kids are really coming on. I think we'll certainly give Loreto a game tomorrow, because we've improved quite a bit since we played them. I like being underdogs - we've nothing to lose and we'll try our best," Keogh said.
UCD must also make a quick recovery from their Intervarsities' exertions when they take on Glenanne at Belfield, while, at the same venue, Railway Union face a potentially tricky tie against Hermes II, runners-up in Senior B last season.
The big match of the weekend in Ulster takes place at the Ards Leisure Centre, where second-placed Ards take on Pegasus, the team they trail by just a point. Ards' promising start to the season has been all the more impressive in light of the absence from the team of international defender Caroline Craig, who is taking a break until the new year.
The Irish Ladies Hockey Union has officially launched its Euro '98 Super Draw, a fundraiser for the European Senior Nations Cup Qualifying Tournament (to be held in Helsinki in July) and the European Junior Nations Cup, which takes place in Belfast in August. The draw is limited to 2,000 tickets at £50 each. Tickets are available from the ILHU at 95, Sandymount Road, Dublin 4, or through clubs.
Leinster Senior Cup - Second Round: Trinity v Hermes, Belfield, 11.15; Muckross v Railway Union II, Rathdown, 11.45; Aer Lingus v Loreto II, ALSAA, 12.0; Old Alexandra v Corinthian, Whitechurch, 12.0; Pembroke Wanderers v Diocesan, Serpentine Avenue, 12.30; UCD v Glenanne, Belfield, 1.0; Hermes II v Railway Union, Belfield, 2.30; Genesis v Loreto, Loughlinstown, 3.30.
Munster Senior League: Church of Ireland v Waterford, Garryduff, 2.30; Harlequins II v Harlequins, Harlequin Park, 11.30. Sunday: Church of Ireland v UCC, Garryduff, 2.0.
Ulster Senior League - Section One: Ards v Pegasus, Ards Leisure Centre, 2.30; Randalstown v Coleraine, Antrim Forum, 2.30; Collegians v North Down, Olympia Leisure Centre, 2.30; Owls v Knock, Valley Leisure Centre, 4.0; Portadown v Victorians, Edenvilla Park, 2.30.
