WOMENS HOCKEY: The final tie of the third round of the ESB Irish Senior Cup takes place at Park Avenue tomorrow where Railway Union host Armagh, the only second division team left in the competition, with an away trip to Ballymoney awaiting the winners in Saturday week's quarter-finals.
While Railway will be firm favourites to advance to the last eight, the Ulster side, in their first season as a senior club, have already eliminated two first division teams, producing a memorable comeback in the first round against Bandon when, trailing 3-0, they won 7-4 after extra-time. Notable, too, was their victory over an in-form UCD team.
Coached by Mick McKinnon half the Armagh squad, whose average age is 18, are made up of schoolgirls, five of whom were in the Ulster under-16 team that won the interprovincial title in Kilkenny last weekend. Indeed, of the 26 goals scored in the tournament, 15 were scored by Armagh players.
Two senior Irish internationals, Emma Stewart and Hannah Bowe, both unavailable for Ireland duty this season due to study commitments, are also included in the Armagh squad, although Bowe's availability for the game has not yet been confirmed. A student at Oxford University, she has only been able to play intermittently for the club this season.
Meanwhile, the joint leaders in the Leinster first division, Pembroke Wanderers and Hermes, restart their league campaigns on Sunday, with Pembroke away to Three Rock and Hermes - without internationals Linda Caulfield, Fiona Connery, Caitriona Carey and Kristin Farrell - at home to Corinthian.
Champions Loreto, who lost four of their nine pre-Christmas games, must kick-start a lengthy winning streak, starting against Clontarf, if they are to have any hope of narrowing the eight-point gap on the leaders.
IRISH SENIOR CUP: Third round: Tomorrow - Railway Union v Armagh, Park Avenue, 3.0.
IRISH JUNIOR CUP: Quarter-finals: Tomorrow - Pembroke Wanderers II v Banbridge, Serpentine Avenue, 2.15; Bray v Lurgan, Loreto Bray, 2.45; Loreto II v Pegasus II, Loreto Beaufort, 12.45; Hermes II v Cork Harlequins II, St Andrews, 2.30.
LEINSTER LEAGUE: Division One: Tomorrow - UCD v Trinity, Belfield, 11.15. Sunday: Three Rock v Pembroke Wanderers, Grange Road, 1.30; Loreto v Clontarf, Beaufort, 2.30; Hermes v Corinthian, Booterstown, 1.30. Division Two: Tomorrow - Corinthian II v Genesis, Whitechurch, 11.15; Loreto III v Old Alexandra II, Beaufort, 4.0. Sunday - Old Alexandra II v Glenanne, Milltown, 3.15.
MUNSTER LEAGUE: Tomorrow: Division One - Catholic Institute v Bandon, Rosbrien, 1.0.
MUNSTER SENIOR CUP: Tomorrow - Univ of Limerick v Belvedere, Limerick, 1.15.
