Hook Hockey

Panels tested to hilt by crunch UCD-Railway tie

Strength in depth is the by-word on a crucial day in the Leinster women’s division one title shake-up as Railway Union host UCD with both sides shy some of their top performers.

The numbers game in South Africa leaves the Park Avenue hosts down in the overall tally as Alex Speers, Emma Smyth and Nikki Evans while Chloe Watkins is UCD’s one absentee.

Plenty of international talent remains, though, as Railway can call on Jean McDonnell’s aggression up front with Julia O’Halloran pulling the strings while Niamh Atcheler and Anna O’Flanagan are in harness for the students. A winner on the day is guaranteed to top the table on Saturday evening but Railway, with a game extra played, have the more pressing need for points at this stage.

Kate Lloyd has been in scintillating form for the yellow and greens in recent times and will need to be shackled.
Lying in wait are Loreto as they host Corinthian and have a dilemma over goalkeeper selection following Ruth Murphy’s impressive showing against Railway last week.

She vyes with Mary Harkin to fill in for Louisa Healy at the base of a defence who have provided a wealth of goals for the Beaufort club. Sarah Clarke’s thunderous corner hits have seen her top score with Johannesburg-bound Nicci Daly while Hannah Matthews and Rachel Keegan have also weighed in for the league’s most potent corner routine.

But the reds will be keen to nab a result in this Rathfarnham derby, pushing Loreto all the way earlier this term in a 4-3 result. Corinthian are a much improved outfit this term with a growing number of youngsters coming through to make them tough to beat.

Their win over Glenanne last week lifted them to seventh, a place above Pembroke who bounced back against Three Rock Ladies with a well-judged 2-0 win over their vanquishers of five days earlier. Emma Kielthy and Rachel McGrath got the goals in midweek at Grange Road for a powerful comeback to Saturday’s setback which briefly placed them at the bottom of the table.

Hermes is a tough place to go for a third game in seven days in spite of six international absentees as top performers like Mary Goode, Jenny Burke, Christine Quinlan and Sinead Connery power them on.

Three Rock face Trinity hoping them can get back off the bottom, possibly using one of the youngest midfields around as Clare Samuel joined Wesley schoolmate Lauren Haughton and Ana Fabra.

The students are in the rare position of the experience differential being in their favour with Rachel Scott and Maebh Horan high level performers in this division but with just eight goals between the sides this term in total, expect a tight battle.

Old Alex, meanwhile, will hope to keep a comfortable grasp on their top five position, facing a Glenanne side who were frustrated by Corinthian last week.

The Irish Hockey Trophy begins to reach the business end, too, this Saturday with four Leinster sides contesting the last 16 stage. After a number of successful years in the Irish Hockey Challenge, YMCA are aiming to be the first side to clock up wins in both of the two recently introduced competitions.

Travelling to Bandon is a tough ask, though, a side riding high in Munster’s division one. Leinster’s highest ranked side is North Kildare and they have a division to spare over Clontarf for their tie at Kilcock.

Naas, meanwhile, make it two ties in Kildare with their hosting of Wexford – the South East’s last remaining side. Elsewhere, the competition has mainly an Ulster feel to it with seven entrants left with two from Munster and Connacht.

Women’s Division One: Railway Union v UCD, 1pm, Park Avenue; Loreto v Corinthian, 1pm, Beaufort; Hermes v Pembroke, 3.15pm, St Andrew’s; TRL v Trinity, 3.15pm, Grange Road; Old Alexandra v Glenanne, 4pm, Milltown
Division Two: Pembroke v Railway Union, 11am, Serpentine Ave; Hermes v Newbridge, 1.15pm, St Andrew’s; Genesis v UCD, 2.30pm, Belfield; Corinthian v Loreto, 3.30pm, Whitechurch

Electric Ireland Women’s Irish Hockey Trophy, round three: Omagh v Portadown, 2.30pm, Campsie Omagh; Greenfields v Ashton, 3pm, Dangan; Galway v Victorians, 1pm, Dangan; Bandon v YMCA, 1pm, Bandon GS; Naas v Wexford, 3.45pm, Caragh Road; North Kildare v Clontarf, 1.30pm, The Maws; NICS v Larne, 1pm, Maynard Sinclair Pavillion Stormont; Ballymena v Dromore, 2.30pm, Ballymena Showground