Snow wipes out hockey fixtures for Ballyclare teams

The ‘Clare seniors should have been at Stormont to fulfil a Senior League Section 1 fixture with Northern Ireland Civil Service Ladies, but it was postponed early on Saturday morning. Suzanne Dickey’s girls were hoping to pick up much-needed points against a side that had already been beaten six times. Ballyclare, with precious matches in hand, remain third-from-bottom, above strugglers Greenisland and Omagh. At the opposite end of the table Lisnagarvey and Belfast Harlequins are on course for an immediate return to the Premier League. Zoe Hunter’s second XI should also have been on the road for an Intermediate Plate clash with Dungannon II. With both teams in Junior League Section 2 a close encounter was expected, with the ‘Clare girls likely to be favourites to advance because of their higher league position. This one is likely to be rearranged for this weekend. On Saturday Julie Cooke’s third XI have a home Junior league Section 7 fixture against Grosvenor IV. A few miles along the road in Doagh there was a similar picture with both Parkview Ladies teams sidelined. With only two defeats to date, Clare Dundee’s girls would have been relishing the opportunity to enhance their Senior League Section 3 promotion credentials at the expense of Saintfield Ladies who are in the bottom half of the table. This weekend they face a much tougher challenge when they host leaders Rainey. The Magherafelt girls are three points clear at the summit, but with home advantage at Foundry Lane the Doagh girls must fancy their chances of going joint-top. Parkview second XI would have been the favourites to collect the points at the expense of relegation-threatened Lisnagarvey V who have managed only one win in twelve outings.