WOMEN'S HOCKEY:HERMES HOST UCD tomorrow in a top-of-the-pool Irish Hockey League game that was postponed last month due to the students' involvement in the intervarsity tournament. Similarly, UCC travel to Dublin to play Railway Union in their refixed Pool B tie.

A single point separates the top four teams in Pool A, Hermes one clear of UCD, Pegasus and Catholic Institute. It’s been a testing season so far for the Leinster champions, Old Alexandra knocking them out of the Irish Senior Cup a fortnight ago and three defeats out of seven games in the Leinster League leaving them with plenty of work to do if they are to retain their title.

The IHL, then, could be their best chance of a major honour this season, but having lost to UCD only a week ago in the league they’ll be under no illusions about tomorrow’s challenge.

As in their league meeting, there’ll be something of “reunion” feel about the game with so much player movement between the clubs in recent years – not to mention coach Mary Logue’s switch from UCD to Hermes.

Sarah Greene, Deirdre Duke and Irish international Anna O’Flanagan all left Hermes to join UCD this season, teaming up with two more Hermes old girls and current internationals, Niamh Atcheler and Chloe Watkins.

Both clubs’ internationals will be available for the game – they have eight between them in the squad picked for next month’s trip to Argentina – while for their tie against UCC, Railway will be able to call upon their two players in that panel, Nikki Evans and Irish captain Alex Speers.

They will, though, be without the Joyce twins, Isobel and Cecelia, who are in Bangladesh with the Irish cricket team.

Railway, currently third in the table, can move above Ballymoney and within a point of leaders Loreto if they beat UCC by three goals or more, a fate the Munster side have suffered in their first two games in the pool.

While they focus on IHL business, UCD’s closest challengers in the Leinster first division, Alexandra and Loreto, meet in Milltown. Alexandra, unbeaten in the league, can go joint top if their beat their visitors, while Loreto can move within a point of the leaders if they prevail.

FIXTURES:Irish Hockey League: Tomorrow – Pool A: Hermes v UCD, St Andrews, 3pm. Pool B: Railway Union v UCC, Park Avenue, 5pm.

Leinster League. Tomorrow: Div One – Old Alexandra v Loreto, Milltown, 3pm Trinity v Corinthian, Milltown, 4.30; Pembroke Wanderers v Glenanne, Serpentine Ave, 5pm.