Pegasus must be favourites

WOMEN'S HOCKEY: Should the new Irish coach - whomever he or she may be - make it to Belfield over the weekend, (s)he will have the best talent-scouting opportunity with the country's eight leading teams on view at the ESB All-Ireland Club Championship play-offs.

Between them, Pegasus and Hermes have won the last eight All-Ireland titles (under different formats), and are top seeds in their respective pools, favourites to go through to the final at the same venue on May 28th.

Pegasus completed a five-in-a-row in 2002, but then lost out the following two seasons to Hermes, before regaining their crown last year. The Leinster side, though, must, however reluctantly, carry the favourite's tag after a near flawless season that saw them win the Leinster League, the Irish Senior Cup and gold at the European Cup Winners' Trophy in Italy last month.

But, just as the favourites struggled in the men's play-offs last weekend, there is every prospect of an upset or two this weekend, not least in Pegasus' pool, where they have been drawn with Loreto, who finished their league season with an impressive winning streak, Randalstown and Munster champions Cork Harlequins. But Harlequins will be without their Irish goalkeeper, Mary Goode, who broke her wrist in a practice match last week.

Hermes, too, will be wary of their pool opponents, Railway Union, against whom they open their campaign today, Church of Ireland, who knocked Pegasus out of the Irish Senior Cup, and Ballymoney.

The main topic of conversation at Belfield is likely to be who will succeed Riet Kuper as Irish coach. An early canvass of opinion has reduced the shortlist to just about every man or woman who has ever coached in Ireland, although the Irish Hockey Association may look abroad again, depending on what salary they can offer.

ALL-IRELAND CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFFS (at Belfield) - Pool A: Hermes, Ballymoney, Church of Ireland, Railway Union. Pool B: Pegasus, Loreto, Cork Harlequins, Randalstown. Today - Pool A: Hermes v Railway Union, 2.0; Church of Ireland v Ballymoney, 8.0. Pool B: Loreto v Randalstown, 4.0; Cork Harlequins v Pegasus, 6.0. Tomorrow - Pool A: Hermes v C of I, 2.0; Ballymoney v Railway Union, 4.0. Pool B: Harlequins v Loreto, 10.0; Pegasus v Randalstown, 12.0. Sunday - Pool A: C of I v Railway Union, 10.0; Ballymoney v Hermes, 2.0. Pool B: Harlequins v Randalstown, 12.0, Pegasus v Loreto, 4.0.