Championships shaping up to a familiar look

Women's Hockey: Short of Ballymoney and Cork Harlequins overturning first-leg deficits and Randalstown getting the better of Loreto in Dublin tomorrow, the line-up for next month's Club Championships is shaping up to be much the same as last year's, Pegasus v Leinster; the only change is Railway Union replacing Old Alexandra as one of Leinster's representatives in the four-team tournament.

Only the mother of all upsets would see Church of Ireland oust Pegasus - 5-0 up after the first leg in Cork - so all eyes will be on events in Booterstown (Hermes v Ballymoney), Farmers Cross (Harlequins v Railway) and Beaufort (Loreto v Randalstown).

After the 3-3 draw at the Antrim Forum last weekend the Beaufort game is the most finely balanced of the quarter-finals, although those three away goals could yet prove useful for Loreto, who would go through if the second leg finished 1-1 or 2-2.

The Leinster champions will trust, though, that it won't come to that. A repeat of their first half form from last week, when they led 2-0, and an avoidance of the loss of concentration in the second period that saw them concede three goals soon after the break, would see them through.

If it's another Jekyll and Hyde day from Loreto, Randalstown, whose team include five teenagers, will again attempt to take advantage.

The game between Harlequins and Railway in Cork is no less intriguing. Leading 2-0 from the first leg, Railway are within touching distance of their first ever appearance in the finals, but a vastly more experienced Harlequins side will surely test the Dubliners on home soil.

Railway goalkeeper Jane Coyne was in excellent form last week, as was her defence, when she kept Harlequins scoreless, despite the Munster champions having at least a share of the game.

That level of resistance may well be required again, with Harlequins having no option but to "go for it". A goal on the break, however, would almost certainly settle the tie in the Leinster side's favour.

Once again Ballymoney will be required to show their fighting spirit when they attempt to get back in to their quarter-final tie with Hermes at Booterstown, having lost the first leg 2-0 at home. Already up against it, the Ulster side will hardly be cheered by the news that Mary Logue should be available after her recent absence.

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS FIXTURES

Quarter-finals, second leg (first leg scores in brackets): Loreto (3) v Randalstown (3), Beaufort, 2.30; Hermes (2) v Ballymoney (0), St Andrews College, 12.0; Cork Harlequins (0) v Railway Union (2), Farmers Cross, 3.0; Pegasus (5) v Church of Ireland (0), Queens, 1.0.