Railway have to hit the roads

Women's Hockey: It's at times like this that Railway Union could do with a benefactor of the Roman Abramovich kind, one who would lay on a private jet tomorrow to shuttle Una McCarthy from Limerick to Dublin and back again so that she could look after her Leinster under-16 team in the interprovincial tournament and her Railway firsts in the Irish Senior Cup - all in the same day.

But, in the absence of a Russian magnate, McCarthy will instead attempt to drive the round trip, within the speed limit of course, leaving Limerick after Leinster play South East at 10 a.m., making it to Park Avenue, she hopes, in time to see Railway take on the Irish Cup holders Pegasus in the third round of the competition, before returning to Limerick in time for Sunday's decisive interprovincial fixtures.

Railway player Karen Clarke, who is the Leinster under-16 manager, will also work up some mileage tomorrow as she shuttles between Limerick and Dublin, but Leinster's third-placed team will hope all the scurrying pays off come tea-time. Ousting Pegasus from the cup would, after all, amount to the biggest feather in the cap yet acquired by McCarthy's young team.

That tie is, perhaps, the most intriguing pick of the third round, although it's closely matched by the pairing of Cork Harlequins (2000 winners and 2003 finalists) and Hermes (1997 and 1999 winners and finalists in 2000, when they lost to Harlequins, 2002 and 2004).

"It's a shame that we're playing Hermes so early and it's a pity one of us will be knocked out, but roll on Saturday," said Harlequins' Karen O'Brien. "Everyone is fit. We have a good, strong team this season with plenty of depth. Rachael (Kohler) is back in full flow, as is Emer Dillon. Our season so far is going well - after a shaky start - but we're on an upward curve and I know there's much more in us."

Two other Munster sides - Church of Ireland and Bandon - have home ties against Ulster teams (Victorians and Randalstown, respectively), while Leinster's Clontarf play host to Coleraine at Mount Temple. Ards are the only Ulster side left in the competition to be presented with a home draw; they play 2001 winners Ballymoney at the Ards Leisure Centre.

In 2002, Fred McDarby led Loreto to their first Irish Senior Cup success in 42 years. Tomorrow he will hope that his Corinthian team can end the Leinster Division One reigning champions and current leaders' interest in the competition at the third round stage.

The last of the round's ties is another interesting one, the meeting of Pembroke Wanderers and Old Alexandra at Serpentine Avenue. Pembroke's victory over Hermes in the league last weekend should have them in good spirits for the game, but Alexandra can take encouragement from their 1-0 win over Pembroke in the league in October.

WEEKEND FIXTURES: SATURDAY: IRISH SENIOR CUP - Third round: Clontarf v Coleraine, Mount Temple, 3.0; Loreto v Corinthian, Beaufort, 1.0; Ards v Ballymoney, Ards Leisure Centre, 2.30; Church of Ireland v Victorians, Garryduff, 2.0; Bandon v Randalstown, Bandon Grammar School, 1.0; Pembroke Wanderers v Old Alexandra, Serpentine Avenue, 2.0; Cork Harlequins v Hermes, Farmers Cross, 12.0; Railway Union v Pegasus, Park Avenue, 3.30. LEINSTER LEAGUE - Division Two: Trinity v Muckross, Santry, 11.30; Glenanne v Loreto III, Tallaght, 1.45; Loreto II v Skerries, Beaufort, 2.45.

UNDER-16 INTERPROVINCIAL TOURNAMENT (at Villiers School, Limerick) - Today - Munster v Leinster, 4.30; South East v Connacht, 6.0. Tomorrow: South East v Leinster, 10.0; Munster v Ulster, 12.0; Connacht v Leinster, 2.0; South East v Ulster, 4.0. Sunday: Ulster v Connacht, 9.0; Munster v South East, 11.0; Ulster v Leinster, 1.0; Munster v Connacht, 3.0.

* The Leinster Hockey Umpires Association is holding a training meeting for all umpires (club and branch) next Thursday (January 27th) at Pembroke Wanderers at 8pm.