While the Irish squad enjoys somewhat kinder temperatures in Terrassa this week, where they play their hosts Spain in the first of four matches tomorrow, their club-mates back home get on with league business. And 10 of the players on duty in Spain – six from

UCD

, four from

Hermes

– will have a particular interest in the outcome of tomorrow’s meeting between the top two in the

Leinster

first division.

A win for UCD at St Andrew's would put them nine points clear of Hermes and more than on course to retain their title. A defeat might just open up the race again and give some hope to Loreto and Railway Union, in third and fourth.

Hermes haven’t looked back since losing by a single goal to the students in their second game of the season in October, winning eight and drawing one of their next nine games, but the depth of both squads will be tested tomorrow in the absence of so many of their leading players.

Loreto will hope to take advantage of the St Andrew’s result, whatever it might be, but they have a testing enough tie against fifth-placed Old Alexandra at Beaufort. Railway, meanwhile, are at home to Corinthian.

There's a top-of-the-table clash in Ulster too this weekend, Ards taking on Pegasus who can move within a point of the leaders, with a game in hand, if they prevail.