Rain ends Ireland's time in Spain

Women's HockeyThe intervention of torrential rain in Madrid on Saturday brought a premature end to Ireland's build-up to next month's Olympic Qualifier, with their final game against Spain cancelled because of a waterlogged pitch.

The players returned to Dublin later that day, bringing an end to a preparation period that has taken them to the US, Argentina and Spain, during which they have played the world champions, the European champions, Korea, Spain and the US.

"I think a lot of people were wondering why we were playing these kind of matches," said Ireland's Fiona Connery yesterday, "but if you only ever play ordinary sides you'll only ever be ordinary - if you don't push yourself you'll never get better."

Eight consecutive defeats, to the US (who they played five times) and the elite of Holland, Argentina and Korea, were followed by two victories over the Argentinian under-21 team and another over their juniors. It was, though, last Wednesday's win over the full Spain side in Madrid that made Connery believe she and her team-mates had learnt plenty from the weeks before.

"It's been a tough build-up, we worked really hard, but it's been so enjoyable - what made it most enjoyable was that we saw the improvement when we got to Spain and how much we have come on since America. That gave us the boost we need before we head for New Zealand."

It's just as well Connery, a Kilkenny camogie player when she finds the time, loves it. "I had to hand in my notice at work before last September's European finals," she said of her investment banking job, "so I'm unemployed."

The squad leave for New Zealand on March 9th, buoyed by their form in Madrid, but realistic about the challenge in Auckland. "We'll go into it knowing we're as fit as we could be and couldn't have done any more in the build-up," said Connery.

Meanwhile, Loreto had just about the perfect weekend, beating Old Alexandra in the semi-finals of the Leinster Jacqui Potter Cup, before learning Hermes had lost only their second league game of the season, 2-1 at home to UCD.

Loreto are now six points clear of Hermes, the reigning champions, at the top of the table, with both teams having played the same number of games. And Loreto's second team all but sealed the Division Two title with a 4-0 win over Glenanne - four more points from their four remaining games will clinch it.

Goals from Jessica Lynch and Cathy McKean put Loreto 2-0 up against Alexandra on Saturday, before Anya Bowers pulled one back. Loreto will play in their fourth successive Leinster final on March 17th, where they will meet the team that beat them on strokes in last year's decider, Pembroke Wanderers. Second-half goals from Pembroke's Siobhan Kane and Jessie Morris saw off Railway Union's plucky challenge in Saturday's semi-final.