Hermes can stir up league battle

WOMEN'S HOCKEY: While international and cup commitments took precedence in recent weeks, the spotlight will be back on league hockey this weekend, with the outstanding tie the meeting of Leinster's top two, Hermes and Loreto, at Booterstown.

After tomorrow Loreto will have five games to play, with three of those against top five teams: Pembroke Wanderers, Old Alexandra and Railway Union.

There are, then, still plenty of obstacles for the leaders to overcome, but victory over Hermes would extend their advantage at the top to seven points, perhaps too sizeable a gap for even the defending champions to bridge.

A Hermes victory, on the other hand, would make it yet another title race destined to go to the wire, and would also bring Old Alexandra, a point behind Hermes, back in to the title equation. Alexandra, though, suffered the frustration of conceding a last-minute equaliser to Pembroke earlier this week when they met at Serpentine Avenue, a result that keeps Pembroke in touch with the top three.

Pembroke are away to second-from-bottom Trinity tomorrow, and a win would see them go second in the table should Loreto beat Hermes, or level on points with Hermes, should the game at Booterstown end in a draw.

Alexandra have no league duties this weekend but play Loreto on Sunday in the semi-finals of the Leinster Jacqui Potter Cup, making it the biggest weekend of the season to date for the league leaders.

It's a big weekend, too, for Cork Harlequins, who will look to move a step closer to repeating the Munster League and Cup double. They play the University of Limerick in the league tomorrow, and meet the same opposition in the cup semi-finals on Sunday.

Weekend Fixtures

LEINSTER LEAGUE - Tomorrow - Division One: Hermes v Loreto, Booterstown, 11.15; Trinity v Pembroke Wanderers, Santry, 1.0; Corinthian v UCD, Whitechurch, 2.15; Railway Union v Three Rock, Sandymount, 2.30. Division Two: Corinthian II v Loreto II, Whitechurch, 11.15; Railway Union II v Pembroke Wanderers II, Sandymount, 4.0.

LEINSTER JACQUI POTTER CUP - Sunday - Semi-final: Loreto v Old Alexandra, Beaufort, 3.0.

MUNSTER LEAGUE - Tomorrow - Division One: Cork Harlequins v Univ of Limerick, Farmer's Cross, 4.0.

MUNSTER SENIOR CUP - Sunday - Semi-final: Univ of Limerick v Cork Harlequins, Univ of Limerick, 1.30.

IRISH JUNIOR CUP - Tomorrow - Quarter-finals: Old Alexandra II v Pegasus II, Milltown, 1.15; Cork Harlequins II v Genesis, Farmer's Cross, 1.30; Glenanne v Hermes II, Tallaght, 1.45; Bray v Catholic Institute II, Loreto Bray, 3.0.