Loreto's form will give them hope

WOMEN'S HOCKEY:LORETO AND UCD, winners of the last two Irish Senior Cups, both travel north for their second-round ties in the competition tomorrow, with Loreto facing the daunting task of taking on Pegasus on their home patch.

The teams last met in the Irish Hockey League in Dublin in November, and the Belfast side won out on that occasion, taking a 3-0 lead before Loreto pulled two goals back.

The Leinster side, then, will have its work cut out to make it through to the last eight, with Pegasus having already knocked out All-Ireland champions Railway Union, but their form in the league – seven wins out of seven – means they should go in to the game with plenty of confidence.

Glenanne play host to Lurgan in the round’s third Leinster v Ulster tie, with the two remaining Munster teams in the competition, Cork Harlequins and Catholic Institute, drawn away to Ulster sides.

Harlequins play Ards while Institute take on Ballymoney, who ousted another Munster side, UCC, in the first round.

Like Loreto, Institute’s morale should be in good shape as they head north after Irish captain Eimear Cregan scored a hat-trick for the Limerick club in their 6-0 victory over Ashton last weekend to maintain their perfect league record this season and keep them five points clear of UCC at the top of the first division.

There are two all-Leinster ties, with Old Alexandra, buoyed by a fine draw with Hermes last weekend, at home to Pembroke Wanderers, and Corinthian welcoming a Hermes team that beat them 12-1 in the league in November.

Ulster Elks are at home to Armagh in the round’s only all-Ulster affair.

WEEKEND FIXTURES

Saturday – Irish Senior Cup, second round:Ards v Cork Harlequins, Ards Leisure Centre, 2.45; Ballymoney v Catholic Institute, Joey Dunlop Centre, 2.30; Belfast Harlequins v UCD, Deramore Park, 1.0; Corinthian v Hermes, Whitechurch, 2.45; Pegasus v Loreto, Queen's, 1.0; Ulster Elks v Armagh, Jordanstown, 1.0; Glenanne v Lurgan, Glenanne Park, 1.30; Old Alexandra v Pembroke Wanderers, Milltown, 1.30. Irish Hockey Trophy, first round: Portadown v Our Lady's Terenure, Brownlow, 2.30; Raphoe v Dromore, Royal and Prior, 12.45; Greenisland v Galway, Carrickfergus, 2.45; Ballymena v Bandon, Ballymena, 1.0; Muckross v Diocesan, Teresian School, 2.0; Waterford v NUIG, Newtown School, 2.0; Clontarf v North Down, Mount Temple, 2.0.