WOMEN'S HOCKEY: WEATHER PERMITTING, Ireland will play their first competitive matches since last summer's European Championships when they take on Belgium in Nivelles this afternoon and on Sunday morning.
Coach Gene Muller has included two uncapped players in his squad for the double-header, Nicci Daly (Loreto) and Audrey O’Flynn (UCC), while Julia O’Halloran (UCC) returns after a year out of international hockey.
Both teams are preparing for World Cup Qualifying tournaments, Belgium, the third seeds, (behind the United States and Korea) in San Diego in March, and Ireland, seeded second, behind Australia, in Santiago in April.
“Belgium are an emerging force in European hockey so the matches will be very competitive and good preparation for April,” said Muller of opponents who, by winning last July’s European Nations Trophy, earned promotion to the A Division of the event.
Back home, Hermes, Loreto, Railway Union (all pool A), Galway, Old Alexandra and UCD (all pool B) will compete for a place in the final of the National Indoor Trophy at the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght this weekend, the prize for the winners a place in European Indoor competition next season.
After tomorrow’s pool games the top two in each group will go through to Sunday’s semi-finals (12.30pm and 1.30pm), with the final taking place at 6.30pm.
Glenanne and Pembroke Wanderers meet tomorrow in the weekend’s only Leinster first division game, while Loreto’s seconds travel north for their Irish Junior Cup match against Belfast Harlequins that was postponed last Saturday.
The Irish Hockey Trophy, meanwhile, reaches the quarter-final stage.
WEEKEND FIXTURES
Today
International(at Nivelles, Belgium): Belgium v Ireland, 3pm.
Tomorrow
Irish Junior Cup, third round: Belfast Harlequins II v Loreto II, Deramore Park, 1pm. Irish Hockey Trophy, quarter-finals:Portadown v Three Rock, Edenville, 2.30; Ashton v Wexford, Ashton School, 2.30; Knock v Catholic Institute, St Colman's Park, 1pm; Greenfields v Galway, TBC. Leinster League, Division One: Glenanne v Pembroke Wanderers, Tallaght, 3pm. Munster League, Division One: Univ of Limerick v Bandon, UL, 1.30; Waterford v Church of Ireland, Waterford, 12.30.
Sunday:
International(at Nivelles, Belgium) – Belgium v Ireland, 11am.
Leinster Senior CupSemi-final draw: Hermes v Pembroke Wanderers, Old Alexandra v Corinthian. Ties to be played February 21st.
