ILHU to rule on internationals

Following the decision last weekend by the Leinster branch to postpone the league fixture between Hermes and Old Alexandra, the president of the Irish Ladies Hockey Union, Caitriona O'Brien, has confirmed that the Irish council will meet soon to attempt to resolve the issue of internationals playing for their clubs before the Olympic qualifier at the end of March.

What form this resolution will take is difficult to predict, because Irish coach Riet Kuper's preference for flexibility on the issue will, if taken into account, make it unlikely that a blanket ban on internationals turning out for their clubs will be imposed. Consequently, it will be difficult to agree an unambiguous ruling on the matter. The Irish squad will be reduced to 21 players before next month's trip to San Diego, but only 18 will travel.

For now, four clubs - Hermes, Old Alexandra, Victorians and Ballymoney - are awaiting a definitive ruling on whether internationals can play in matches that were postponed before Christmas.

Harlequins, meanwhile, have been given the go-ahead by the Irish council to field their three internationals - Rachel Kohler, Karen O'Brien and Sharon Hutchinson - in tomorrow's Sharwoods Irish Senior Cup quarter-final replay against Pembroke Wanderers at Serpentine Avenue.

In the Leinster League, Loreto's title ambitions will be put to the test at Beaufort where they meet Hermes, who are a point adrift but have two games in hand. Loreto will be without Irish senior panellists Caitriona O'Kelly and Cathy McKean, as well as Nikki Symmons, who is on Irish under-18 duty this weekend, and Elaine Goddard. Hermes, for whom a victory would make them odds-on to retain their title, have injury doubts over Helen Kilroy and Aisling Keane.