The top flight of the EY Hockey League returns from its winter break on Saturday with a full programme of games scheduled.
Pembroke Wanderers are starting the defence of their five-point lead at the top of the table with a game away to fifth-placed Loreto. There should be a spring in the step down Loreto way after four of their players were named in the Irish squad for next week's training camp in France, the uncapped Christina Hamill and Siofra O'Brien joining Sarah Torrans and goalkeeper Elizabeth Murphy in the panel, only UCD having as many representatives in the squad.
It's a partly experimental panel, the only 100-plus cap players included captain Katie Mullan, Lena Tice and Naomi Carroll, with trusty warriors like Ayeisha McFerran, Anna O'Flanagan, Chloe Watkins and Roisin Upton excluded this time.
Hamill and O'Brien are two of seven uncapped players called up, the others being Caoimhe Perdue (UCC), Charlotte Beggs (Ulster Elks), Holly Micklem (Old Alex) and UCD's Eva Lavelle and Katherine Egan.
The trip to France is the start of a build-up to a busy year, the main focus July's World Cup in Spain and the Netherlands, followed by the European Championship qualifiers in Dublin in August and the Nations Cup in Valencia in December, which could yet be a qualifier for the FIH Pro League.
Back on the domestic front second takes on fourth in the Hockey League meeting of Catholic Institute and Old Alexandra in Limerick, while third-placed Pegasus have a short trip to take on relegation-threatened Belfast Harlequins at Deramore Park.
Railway Union, tied for fifth with Loreto, host bottom club Cork Harlequins, while UCD meet Muckross at Belfield.
Meanwhile, Muckross take on Ards and Railway Union meet Galway in the semi-finals of the National Indoor Trophy tournament at Gormanston Park on Sunday, with the final taking place at 5pm.
Hockey League, Division One – Saturday: Belfast Harlequins v Pegasus, Deramore Park, 2.30pm; Catholic Institute v Old Alexandra, Rosbrien, 1pm; Loreto v Pembroke Wanderers, Beaufort, 1pm; Railway Union v Cork Harlequins, Park Avenue, 1.30pm; UCD v Muckross, Belfield, 1pm.
