THE Gods weren't smiling on Old Alexandra when they paired the club with Pegasus in the quarter finals of the Sharwoods Irish Senior Cup and Muckross at the same stage of the Leinster Senior Cup, the holders in both competitions.

There was even less help from above for the Simon Filgas coached team when freezing conditions forced the postponement of the meeting with Muckross last weekend, causing it to be rescheduled for this Sunday, the day after their match against Pegasus.

Muckross also have two matches in 24 hours this weekend - they play Pembroke Wanderers, in the Irish Senior Cup, tomorrow before Sunday's match with Old Alexandra.

Their form leading up to Christmas suggests that Muckross should advance in to the last four of both competitions but Old Alexandra have already come close to beating them this season, when they led Muckross 2-0 in a league match, and Pembroke's spirits will have been raised by their victory over Railway Union in the Leinster Cup last weekend.

Loreto face perhaps the most difficult away trip of the weekend when they travel north to take on the in form Randalstown. "We're the underdogs, there's no doubt about that. They've been a bit of a goalscoring machine this season, they've reached double figures in matches a few times, but I'd still give us a chance. It will be tough but we've been playing well this season so we'll see how it goes," says Loreto coach Noel Keogh.

Hermes have already put one student team out of cup hockey this week, when they beat Trinity in the Leinster Senior Cup on Tuesday night - tomorrow they will hope to repeat the feat against UCC at Belfield in the Irish Senior Cup.

Jenny Burke will be the player to watch for the Cork students after the Irish international added four goals to her tally for the season against Trinity. Meanwhile, Leinster begin the defence of their Under 16 Interprovincial title in Dangan today against hosts Connacht.