Women’s Hockey: Contenders prepare for Irish Senior Cup action

The winter chill might yet interfere with Saturday’s Irish Senior Cup second round matches.

Cork Harlequins are likely to be keeping a closer eye than most on the forecast with the club facing a trip to Belfast Harlequins.

But for now there are eight ties scheduled, three of them all-Leinster affairs, another two all-Ulster games.

Like Cork, Hermes-Monkstown and Pegasus will be on their travels, Hermes drawn away to Banbridge while Pegasus return to Dublin a week after drawing with Railway Union in the Hockey League, Genesis their opponents this time around.

The away sides in both ties will expect to advance, although mixed form by Pegasus of late might make them more vulnerable to an upset.

In the battle of the Harlequins, Cork will look to repeat their Hockey League victory on home turf last month when they beat Belfast 4-2.

UCD enjoyed a win by the same scoreline in October when they met Railway in the same competition – the teams square up at Park Avenue in the Cup.

In the other all-Dublin games, Trinity can test their outstanding Leinster League form – six wins and a draw out of their seven games so far – when they take on Loreto at Beaufort.

Pembroke Wanderers will hope to put their Hockey League woes behind them – eight defeats out of eight – when they host Glenanne at Serpentine Avenue.

Up north, Queens meet Ballymoney and Lurgan, who have won all five of their Ulster League games to date, play Ards, last season’s beaten finalists.

Ards suffered a significant blow last weekend when their top scorer Chloe Brown fractured her ankle in the Hockey League defeat to Cork Harlequins, an injury that will keep her out of action for at least six weeks, ruling her out of Ireland’s trip to Malaysia for the World League II.

Irish Senior Cup – Second round – Saturday: Belfast Harlequins v Cork Harlequins, Deramore Park, 2.30; Genesis v Pegasus, St Raphaela's, 2.30; Lurgan v Ards, Lurgan JHS, 2.30; Railway Union v UCD, Park Avenue, 2.15; Pembroke Wanderers v Glenanne, Serpentine Avenue, 2.0; Loreto v Trinity, Beaufort, 1.15; Banbridge v Hermes-Monkstown, Havelock Park, 1.0; Queens v Ballymoney, Queens University, 1.0.