It's back to club action this weekend after an encouraging week for the national team, three wins out of three against Scotland, as part of their build-up for the World Hockey League in March, completing their 2014 match schedule. A hectic year it was too, Ireland playing 35 games.
"We have three more training camps, two in November and one in December, come January we will go into a warm weather training camp in Valencia as we continue to hone in on the World League, " said coach Darren Smith of the squad's schedule before hosting March's tournament.
Four wins
Their opposition then will be Austria, Belarus, Canada, Chile, Lithuania, Ukraine and Turkey, who replaced the Czech Republic in the line-up after they withdrew.
So, 1-0, 2-1 and 4-0 victories over Scotland, ranked one place below them at 16, rounded off the competitive year, Hermes' Aine Connery top scoring with three goals in as many games.
Hermes will attempt to make it four wins in a row, after their opening day defeat to Pembroke Wanderers, when they take on Corinthian tomorrow, while leaders Pembroke, who’ve played at least one game more than their closest rivals, host fourth-placed Loreto at Serpentine Avenue.
Champions UCD will look to extend their perfect record when they play Glenanne at Belfield while Railway Union are at home to Old Alexandra. Weekend fixtures: Leinster League – Division One (tomorrow): Pembroke Wanderers v Loreto, Serpentine Avenue, 12.30pm; Corinthian v Hermes, St Columba's College, 12.45pm; UCD v Glenanne, Belfield, 1pm; Trinity v North Kildare, Santry Ave, 1pm; Railway Union v Old Alexandra, Park Ave, 4pm.
