Busy weekend for cups and league

HOCKEY:IT'S A busy weekend on the league and cup fronts, with the Irish Junior Cup and Trophy competitions reaching the quarter-final stage and clubs from Limerick, Waterford, Tipperary and Dublin contesting the semi-finals of the Challenge.

Meanwhile, the three contenders for the Leinster first division title all have home advantage tomorrow. Hermes hope to retain top spot with a win over Glenanne.

Loreto, two points behind but with two games in hand, play Trinity, while Railway Union (four points adrift, with one game in hand) meet fourth-placed UCD.

A defeat for UCD and a victory over Corinthian would see Old Alexandra draw level on points with the students, with a game in hand. Automatic qualification for the Irish Hockey League is the prize for fourth place, with the team in fifth going in to the wildcard play-offs.

Catholic Institute are assured of IHL hockey next season and, barring the mother of all collapses, should go in to the competition as Munster champions – thus ending Cork Harlequins’ remarkable, 15-year title-winning streak.

IRISH JUNIOR CUP– Quarter-finals – Tomorrow: Lisnagarvey v Pegasus, Hillsborough, 1.0; Trinity v Belfast Harlequins, Santry, 3.0; Bray v UCD, Loreto Bray, 2.30; Railway Union v Loreto, Park Avenue, 3.0.

IRISH HOCKEY TROPHY– Quarter-finals – Tomorrow: Ashton v North Kildare, Ashton School, 3.0; Dromore v Portadown, Ferris Park, 2.30; Three Rock Rovers v Bandon, Grange Road, 2.30; Lisnagarvey v Victorians, Hillsborough, 2.30.

IRISH HOCKEY CHALLENGE– Semi-finals – Tomorrow: Limerick v YMCA, Villiers School, 2.0; Dungarvan v Clonmel, St Augustine's College, 3.0.

LEINSTER LEAGUE– Division One – Tomorrow: Loreto v Trinity, Beaufort, 12.45; Bray v Pembroke Wanderers, Loreto Bray, 1.0; Railway Union v UCD, Park Avenue, 1.15; Hermes v Glenanne, St Andrews, 2.30; Old Alexandra v Corinthian, Milltown, 3.0.

JACQUI POTTER CUP– Semi-final – Sunday: Railway Union v Loreto, Park Ave, 1.0.

MUNSTER LEAGUE– Division One – Tomorrow: Univ of Limerick v Cork Harlequins, UL, TBC; Catholic Institute v UCC, Rosbrien, 3.0.

IRISH UNDER-18 SQUAD(for three-match series against Scotland in Stirling): C Brown (Ards), J Holmes, K Mullan (both Ballymoney), AK Trevor (Church of Ireland), A McGrath (Cork Harlequins), F Timmins (Galway), D Gorman (Greenfields), E Russell (Hermes), K Morris (Lisnagarvey), A Naughton, E Beatty, E Hinkson (all Old Alexandra), A Cooke (Pegasus), O Macken, J Maguire, K Lloyd, L McCarthy, R Barnett (all Railway Union).