Not a whole lot between last four sides

WOMENS HOCKEY:The group phase of the All-Ireland Club Championships last weekend proved to be an encouragingly competitive affair, with four of the 12 matches ending in draws and another six won by a single goal. All four of the semi-finalists, then, had to work hard for their places in tomorrow's line-up at Belfield, and, presumably, will have to work harder still if they are to win through to Sunday's All-Ireland final at the same venue.

Pegasus and Cork Harlequins, the Ulster and Munster champions, meet in the first of tomorrow's semi-finals, and, predictably enough, Pegasus go in to the game as favourites.

Harlequins' confidence can hardly have been boosted by their second-half collapse against Loreto last weekend, when, having led 2-0, they lost 3-2. On the same day Pegasus fought back from going a goal down to Hermes to beat the reigning All-Ireland champions for the second time this season, ensuring they topped their pool.

Before then, though, Pegasus turned in two decidedly ropey performances, when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Church of Ireland, runners-up to Harlequins in Munster this season, and then could only beat Ballymoney by a solitary Suzanne Beaney goal.

Harlequins must take heart from those two Pegasus off days and hope they have another one tomorrow, while also trusting that players of the quality of Karen Bateman, Eimear Cregan and Julia O'Halloran can rise to the occasion against the Belfast side to cause an upset.

In contrast there is no clear favourite in the day's second semi-final, when Hermes meet Loreto, the Leinster champions. Loreto had the edge over their old rivals in the league this season, winning one and drawing the other of their meetings, but there's rarely much between the teams.

Cathy McKean, the player of last weekend with four goals in three games, including a hat-trick against Harlequins, is in superb form for Loreto and should prove to be the greatest threat to Hermes tomorrow, but they hope to have Jenny Burke back in action and, with this likely to be Mary Logue's final appearance in the competition, there will be an added incentive for the team to win through to Sunday's final.

ALL-IRELAND CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS (at Belfield): Saturday - Semi-finals: Pegasus v Cork Harlequins, 3pm; Loreto v Hermes, 5.30. Sunday - Final: 3.30.