Twenty five years after they finished joint top of the Leinster League with Pembroke Wanderers, Hermes can move within one point of winning the title outright, for the first time in the club's 31year history, if they beat Railway Union at Park Avenue on Saturday.

But don't tell their coach Roy Horsfield that the title is as good as won. "This is nearly the worst situation, when people say `ah, you've won it' - we've won nothing until we get four points from our last three matches."

Horsfield watched Railway in action on Wednesday night, when they drew 3-3 with Loreto, and admits to being a little concerned by what he saw. "I had the hell frightened out of me by Railway - they played some really good hockey." Horsfield can expect no favours, nor any inside information, from his wife Sarah, the Railway player who won't be action tomorrow but will be on the sidelines at Park Avenue . . . urging her team to victory over Hermes.

"There's been plenty of silence in the house this week, and there'll be even more tomorrow night, whatever happens." Wednesday's draw with Railway ended Loreto's slim hopes of winning the title and while Old Alexandra retain a mathematical chance of finishing top, Hermes' only realistic challengers are Muckross. The defending champions are six points behind the leaders - both teams have three matches left - and need Hermes to take no more than three points from their next two fixtures if their meeting at Belfield on February 21st is to be a title decider.

"We just have to wait and see what happens," says Muckross midfielder Teresa Hurley. "We're relying on them dropping a few points and just concentrating on winning our remaining matches, there's nothing we can do about their results."

"We had a good innings," added Hurley, whose club has won Senior A for the past six seasons. "It's great to see it becoming more competitive and having so many teams challenging for top positions - it's only really in the last couple of weeks that it's become a two horse race, before that Loreto and Alex were in with a chance. It's very good for hockey, but of course we'd like to win it again."