HOCKEY:GOING INTO Sunday's final round of pool matches, only Railway Union are already certain of their spot in the last four of the Irish Hockey League, leaving six clubs to battle it out for the three remaining semi-final places.
In Pool A it’s a three-way contest between Pembroke, Cork Harlequins and Ards for the runners-up spot behind Railway, although Ards would need to beat Harlequins by three clear goals in Cork to have any hope of pipping Pembroke on goal difference.
It’s more likely then that either Pembroke or Harlequins will take second, the Munster champions currently trailing the Leinster side by a point. Pembroke have a tough task, though, away to Railway in their final game.
Pegasus, a point ahead of Hermes and two clear of Loreto, should secure top spot in Pool B on Sunday with a home win over struggling Randalstown.
The Loreto v Hermes clash at Beaufort will be an all-or-nothing affair for the Leinster rivals, with Loreto, the reigning IHL champions, needing a win to advance. A draw would do for Hermes.
When the teams met in the league last month, Hermes ran out 3-1 winners, but Loreto were without five of their internationals (Liz Colvin, Nicci Daly, Louisa Healy, Niamh Small and Nikki Symmons, player of the tournament at last weekend’s Celtic Cup in France), on duty for Ireland in England that week. They will all be available to coach Orla Bell on Sunday, which should make for a more even contest this time.
Included in the Hermes squad for Sunday is the St Andrew’s quartet of Chloe Watkins, Niamh Atcheler and the Pinders, Laura and Gillian, all of whom helped their school, St Andrew’s, complete a league and cup double at Grange Road yesterday.
Their 4-0 defeat of Mount Anville in the Leinster Premier League final came just a week after they won the Senior Cup for the second year in a row – and their fifth since 2003 – when they beat Alexandra College.
It was a much closer affair yesterday than the scoreline suggests, three of Andrew’s goals coming in the last four minutes after Mount Anville had a player yellow-carded. Watkins, the player of the match, gave Andrew’s a first half lead with a reverse stick strike. A player downand pushing forward in search of an equaliser, Mount Anville were caught again as a Watkins penalty made it 2-0.
Sarah Woodroofe added two more goals to complete the scoring. The Booterstown school also won the Leinster Minor Cup yesterday, beating Alexandra College 4-3 on penalty strokes – Abbey Sarratt getting the winner.
IRISH HOCKEY LEAGUE – Sunday– Pool A: C of I v Ballymoney, Garryduff, 1pm; Cork Harlequins v Ards, Harlequins Park, 1pm; Railway Union v Pembroke Wanderers, Park Avenue, 1pm. Pool B: Old Alexandra v UCC, Milltown, 3pm; Loreto v Hermes, Beaufort, 3pm; Pegasus v Randalstown, Queen's, 3pm.
Junior interprovincial tournament(at Farmer's Cross) – Tomorrow: Munster v Connacht, 9pm; Ulster v Leinster, 10.30; South East v Connacht, noon; Munster v Ulster, 3.30; Leinster v South East, 5pm.
Sunday:Ulster v Connacht, 8.30; Munster v South East, 10pm; Connacht v Leinster, 11.30; South East v Ulster, 2.45; Munster v Leinster, 4.15. Leinster League– Division One: UCD v Corinthian, Belfield, 1pm.
