Connery and O'Neill back in the navy

A weekend of seven IHL vs non-IHL awaits as the Leinster women’s division one finally has a full schedule of Saturday fixtures for the first time this season. This anomaly means the league is very much still to work itself out but the major highlight is at Belfield where UCD host Hermes.

The visitors include Aine Connery (right) in their league panel for the first time since she rejoined the club from UCC. She transferred just in time for the IHL deadline and lined out against Pegasus

Connery previously lined out with the club in 2004, playing in the European B division in Baku with Elaine O’Neill and Lisa Jacob.All three went on to university hockey but O’Neill returned to the Booterstown fold in September while Jacob lines out in opposition colours on Saturday.

UCD will hope to bounce back from their intervarsity turnover by the Ulster Elks. Despite six matches in three days, they have just one injury concern with Rachel Burke’s knee badly bruised. Jenny Kinch is out for Hermes while Jenny Burke is on the recovery road after illness kept her out of the Pegs’ game.

They double up on Sunday against Pembroke – another side to have played just a sole league game by late October – in another vital fixture. Pembroke face an improving Corinthian on Saturday afternoon, hoping to keep their 100pc record in tact prior to the trip to Hermes.

Elsewhere, Bray find themselves needing to recover a one-point deduction following for a registration issue from the opening day of the season. Nicky Dignam is battling to recover from injury to take her place in the squad that travels to Milltown to face Old Alex.

Alex are still very much a work in progress but Ivan Ovington’s side did produce a huge performance against Loreto in the IHL. A similar work-rate from his young charges will make them difficult to beat in the coming months.

Trinity travel to Beaufort this Saturday with the strange sensation that a win would guarantee them a tie for top spot on Sunday evening. It’s an uphill struggle against the IHL champions, though, as it will be for Glenanne when they travel to Park Avenue where they face the Leinster champions.

Women’s Division One:
(Saturday): UCD vs Hermes, 1pm, Belfield; Railway Union vs Glenanne, 1pm, Park Avenue; Corinthian vs Pembroke, 1.30pm, Whitechurch Park; Loreto vs Trinity, 2.30pm, Beaufort; Old Alex vs Bray, 2.30pm, Alexandra College
(Sunday): Glenanne vs Old Alex, 12.30pm, St Mark’s; Hermes vs Pembroke, 2pm, St Andrew’s