Hockey: Portadown make the longest trip of the weekend when they head south to play UCC in the first round of the Irish Senior Cup, and are likely to do so without two leading players, Ireland midfielder Jill Orbinson and highly-rated young goalkeeper Leanne Forsythe.
Neither player has made an appearance this season, with Forsythe expecting to be out for six months with a hip injury, and Orbinson, still troubled by a shoulder injury, hasn't played since returning from the European finals in Barcelona.
The Ulster side's new coach, Stephen Jackson, the former Munster and Cork Harlequins' men's coach, will be returning to familiar ground.
The absence of Orbinson and Forsythe has contributed to Portadown, who last won the cup 10 years ago, already finding themselves in relegation trouble in the league, having taken just a point from their first five games.
UCC will hope to add to their woes, and will also hope that Orbinson doesn't make her comeback in the game - she scored the winner, 15 seconds from time, on the last occasion the clubs met in the competition, precisely five years ago.
All four Leinster clubs in cup action this weekend have home advantage, with Three Rock and Trinity seeking their first wins of the season: they play Banbridge and Greenfields, respectively. Trinity, who were beaten 3-1 in the league by UCD last Sunday, will trust that the weather is kinder at Santry than it was at Beaufort on Wednesday night when their game against Loreto was quickly abandoned due to that unrelenting thunderstorm.
Corinthian should go in to their game against Waterford with plenty of confidence after an encouraging start to their season. Three wins from four games has them just a point off the top of the table. And Pembroke Wanderers will expect to overcome NUIG at Serpentine Avenue. Connacht champions Galway take on Ulster second division side Parkview at Dangan, while Victorians and Ballyclare meet in the only all-Ulster tie.
Hermes can move three points clear of Loreto, having played an extra game, at the top of the first division if they beat UCD at Belfield tomorrow.
The draw for the under-16 European Championships, which will be played in Bristol, has been made. The Irish girls are in pool A with Holland, France and Belgium, while the boys have been drawn in pool B of their event with Belgium, Spain and the Czech Republic. The tournament takes place between July 13th and 18th.
WeekendFixtures
Irish Senior Cup - First round: Corinthian v Waterford, Whitechurch, 1.0; Galway v Parkview, Dangan, 2.0; Pembroke Wanderers v NUIG, Serpentine Avenue, 2.0; Three Rock v Banbridge, Grange Road, 2.0; Trinity v Greenfields, Santry, 12.0; UCC v Portadown, Mardyke, 2.0; Victorians v Ballyclare, Olympia Leisure Centre, 2.30.
Leinster League - Division One: UCD v Hermes, Belfield, 1.15. Division Two: Our Lady's v Old Alexandra II, Templeogue Road, 12.30; Muckross v Diocesan, Donnybrook, 1.0; Hermes II v Clontarf, Booterstown Avenue, 1.15; Corinthian II v Pembroke Wanderers II, Whitechurch, 3.0; Glenanne v Loreto II, Tallaght, 11.0.
Ulster League - Senior One: Pegasus v Ballymoney, Upper Malone, 2.30.
