Pembroke get a chance to turn season around

Women's hockey: Weekend previews While those involved at all levels of Irish hockey will await with interest to see what effect the association's new chief executive officer, Paul Varian, will have on the game here, it's business as usual on the playing front this weekend.

The eye-catching tie of the second round of the Leinster Jacqui Potter Cup pairs Loreto and Pembroke Wanderers, who have met in the last two finals; Pembroke won the 2002 decider on strokes, but Loreto avenged that defeat last year, winning 3-1.

It's been a disappointing season so far for Pembroke who already trail Loreto by 12 points in the league, before the halfway stage has been reached, which is precisely the gap between the teams at the end of last season.

Wednesday night's 2-0 defeat by the ever-improving Three Rock won't have done much for Pembroke's confidence ahead of tomorrow's game at Beaufort.

Since taking their first point of the season, in a 1-1 draw at home to Corinthian, in their third league game, Three Rock have been making impressive progress. That progress will be tested when they meet Corinthian again, this time at Whitechurch, in the cup tomorrow.

Hermes and Old Alexandra should prove too strong for their second division opponents, Old Alexandra II and Glenanne, while an in-form Railway Union side will expect to get the better of Genesis, currently bottom of the first division.

Fiona Manning's Clontarf meet Muckross, the club where she spent much of her playing career, while the all-second division pairings of Loreto II v Diocesan and Hermes II v Loreto III complete the round.

LEINSTER JACQUI POTTER CUP: Second round: Glenanne v Old Alexandra, Tallaght, 12.0; Loreto II v Diocesan, Beaufort, 12.45; Clontarf v Muckross, Clontarf, 1.0; Hermes v Old Alexandra II, Booterstown, 1.15; Genesis v Railway Union, St Killian's, 1.30; Loreto v Pembroke Wanderers, Beaufort, 2.45; Corinthian v Three Rock, Whitechurch, 3.30; Hermes II v Loreto III, Booterstown, 4.30.

LEINSTER LEAGUE: Division Two: Sunday: Glenanne v Diocesan, Tallaght, 2.0; Trinity v Loreto II, Santry, 3.30.

ULSTER LEAGUE: Senior One: Randalstown v Ballymoney, Antrim Forum, 4.0; Omagh v Ballymena, Omagh Leisure Centre, 2.30.

ULSTER SHIELD: First round: Owls v Enniskillen, Paisley Park, 2.30; Lisnagarvey v Parkview, Brooke Activity Centre, 2.30; Civil Service v Priorians, Stormont 2.30; Coleraine v Pegasus, UUC, 2.30.

MAY COSTLEY CUP: First round: Tomorrow: Weston v Midleton, King's Hospital, 2.0; Athlone v Yeats County, Athlone Regional Sports Centre, 1.30; Cooke v Kilkeel II, Shawsbridge, Belfast, 2.30. Sunday: Dungarvan v Gorey, St Augustine's College Dungarvan, 1.30.