WOMEN’S HOCKEY

RAILWAY UNION will keep their hopes of a Leinster League and Cup double alive this weekend if they get the better of Corinthians at Whitechurch tomorrow and UCD at Park Avenue on Sunday, while their seconds will advance to the semi-finals of the Irish Junior Cup if they can beat Armagh II in tomorrow’s quarter-finals.

With the first team through to the last eight of the Irish Senior Cup – they have been drawn away to Ballymoney, while Ulster Elks welcome Corinthians, Belfast Harlequins are at home to UCD and holders Pegasus are away to Lurgan – and lying second in their Irish Hockey League pool, it’s turning into quite a season for the Park Avenue club.

But, having beaten Hermes and Loreto in the Irish Senior Cup this season, UCD could be formidable opponents for Railway in the Jacqui Potter Cup.

Bray and Hermes meet in the other semi-final, a week after Hermes won their league meeting.

The holders, who have won the competition for three of the last four seasons, will, then, be firm favourites to reach another final, but Bray will take hope from their success in ousting Loreto on strokes in the last round.

Before Sunday’s semi-final, Railway have the chance to move ever closer to winning the Leinster Division One title. Their game against Corinthians is the first of their six remaining fixtures; four wins would give them the title.

Loreto beat Old Alexandra 1-0 on Wednesday to move within a point of Railway. The leaders, though, have two games in hand.

The first of the rescheduled Leinster Schoolgirls’ Senior Cup semi-finals – St Andrew’s v Mount Anville – takes place at Grange Road today (1.30).

WEEKEND FIXTURES

Today: Leinster Schoolgirls’ Senior Cup – Semi-final: St Andrew’s v Mount Anville, Grange Road, 1.30.

Tomorrow: Irish Junior Cup – Quarter-finals: Cork Harlequins II v Hermes II, Harlequin Park, noon; Church of Ireland II v Loreto II, Garryduff, 1.0; Railway Union II v Armagh II, Park Avenue, 1.0; Galway II v Old Alexandra II, Dangan, noon. Leinster League – Division One: Corinthian v Railway Union, Whitechurch, 2.30; Trinity v Pembroke Wanderers, Santry, TBA. Munster League – Division One: Cork Harlequins v Bandon, Harlequin Park 4.0.

Sunday – Leinster Jacqui Potter Cup – Semi-finals: Railway Union v UCD, Park Avenue, 4.45; Bray v Hermes, Loreto Bray, 4.0. Munster League – Division One: Church of Ireland v Univ of Limerick, Garryduff, noon.

Monday: Leinster Schoolgirls’ Senior Cup – Semi-final: Mount Sackville v Loreto Beaufort, Wesley, 2.30.