Tough away trip for Alex

Yesterday's draw for the third round of the Sharwood's Irish Senior Cup was relatively kind to three of the four remaining Leinster clubs but the fourth, Old Alexandra, might not quite relish their away trip to Portadown. Cup holders Ballymoney will play the University of Limerick at home while last season's beaten finalists Pegasus must overcome "neighbours" Belfast Harlequins to advance to the quarter-finals.

Loreto, Hermes and UCD all received home draws against Ulster clubs - Victorians, Randalstown and Coleraine, respectively - while Cork Harlequins, cup winners two seasons ago, will host another northern club, Knock, at Farmers' Cross.

At least one of this season's "outsiders" - Bandon or Ballymena - will make it in to the last eight after they were drawn against each other, with the Cork club having home advantage. Bandon, whose first round success at Ards was their first ever victory in the competition, beat Trinity in the last round while Ballymena, who are in the Irish Senior Cup for the first time this season (and who have former Irish international Jackie McWilliams in their line-up), will be making a return trip to Cork after overcoming Church of Ireland in the second round.

Two days after losing their 100 per cent winning start to the season, in a 3-0 defeat by Hermes, Pembroke Wanderers slipped up again when they were held to a scoreless draw by Trinity at Serpentine Avenue. Corinthian moved above Genesis in the first division after Kathy Johnson's goal gave them a 1-0 victory over their Leinster rivals, while Susanne Colton scored Glenanne's first goal of the season to give the bottom club their first point of the campaign in a 1-1 draw with Railway Union.

Meanwhile, the Irish senior squad had their final get-together until February in Dublin over the weekend. Last week's announcement by the Irish Hockey Association that they are taking the International Hockey Federation to the Court of Arbitration of Sport means the squad is unlikely to be in action for at least three months.