There'll be a few mobile phones on the go next Tuesday night, linking Belfield to a hotel in Rome where the official Muckross fan club will have just arrived from Dublin.
Yes, Old Alexandra, who open their European Cup Winners' Cup campaign in Rome next Friday, will put years of rivalry with Muckross to one side and wish them the best when they take on Hermes in the final game of the season. Should Muckross beat Hermes, Alexandra will be Statoil Leinster Senior A champions; a repeat of the scoreless draw between the teams earlier in the season would leave Hermes and Alexandra level on points and a title play-off would then be required; a score draw or a win for Hermes would see them retain the championship. If Jenny Burke maintains her recent form, it's hard to imagine there'll be any all-night celebrations in that Roman hotel. Five goals in her last two games, including the two that beat Alexandra on Wednesday night, brought her season's tally to 38 in all competitions (including 26 in the league), but none matched the quality of her hat-trick goal against Trinity last Sunday when she set off from the half-way line and beat five players before finding the net. Pegasus haven't exactly been goalshy this season either. On Wednesday night they reached their target of 100 goals in the league when they completed their campaign with a 3-0 win over Randalstown, leaving them with a 100 per cent winning record in Section One this season.
Also through to the All Ireland League finals in three weeks are Harlequins, who retained their Munster title with a 5-1 win over Bandon on Wednesday night. Their fifth goal came from Irish international Karen O'Brien, her 32nd of the season. So, after Galway's dethroning of UCG as Connacht champions, three-quarters of the line-up for the league finals is decided. The finals take place at Belfield, over three days (and not two, as in previous years), from April 16th to 18th.
Meanwhile, the dates have been set for two promotion/relegation play-offs in Leinster. UCD and Hermes II will meet at Belfield next Wednesday night (8.0) in the Senior B title play-off. Victory for UCD would see them replace Clontarf in Senior A. Maids and Railway Union II's relegation play-off takes place on Saturday, April 10th, at Serpentine Avenue (1.0). The losing team will drop from Senior B to Intermediate A.
The Leinster Umpires Hockey Association's AGM will be held at Serpentine Avenue on April 27th (7.30). LEINSTER MINOR CUP FINAL: Guinness III v RCSI, Grange Road, 12.0. LEINSTER MIDDLE CUP FINAL: Loreto III v DCU, Grange Road, 2.30. MUNSTER SENIOR LEAGUE - Tomorrow: Belvedere v Catholic Institute, Ballincollig, 2.30; Univ of Limerick v Bandon, Limerick, 2.45; Lansdowne v Harlequins 11, Limerick, 1.15; UCC v Church of Ireland, The Mardyke, 12.0. Sunday: Church of Ireland v Belvedere, Garryduff, 10.30. ULSTER SENIOR LEAGUE - Section One: Randalstown v Enniskillen, Antrim Forum, 4.0. Section Two: Saintfield v Civil Service, Saintfield, 2.30.
