BOTH Muckross and Pembroke Wanderers face demanding assignments in the European club hockey championships this weekend.

Muckross, with the formidable Dutch side Kampong in their pool in the elite A division of the women's competition in Russelsheim, Germany, cannot expect top honours, while Pembroke find themselves in the stronger group in the men's B tournament in Prague.

Muckross will miss Ireland's most capped player, Mary Ioguy, because of examination commitments and they must also cope without world class goalkeeper Sandra O'Gorman for two games as she will be attending her brother's wedding. Deputy keeper Finne Lucey is left to keep the Kampong strikers at bay tomorrow.

However, Muckross are a sufficiently talented team to stretch Glasgow Western today and to beat AHTC Vienna on Sunday, to qualify for a play off match of some standing on Monday.

In Prague, Pembroke do not know what will be in store against Samara of Russia in their opening game. But, encouraged by Jamie McBride and Devin Donnelly earning their first Irish caps in Barcelona last weekend and welcoming back Peter Young from Australia, they should be capable of outflanking both the Russian side today and Grange from Scotland tomorrow.

Then, Wanderers - in the club's first venture abroad in 22 years - may well rise to the occasion in the key match of the pool against the hosts, Slavia, on Sunday. Ultimately, there would be the prospect of appearing in the final against Teddington. The English representatives are expected to top the other group without difficulty, with, modest opposition coming from Grammarians (Gibraltar), Espoo (Finland) and Swansea.