While the squads have been taking shape for the premature Interprovincial Championship - now only a week away - club sides are also approaching full muster. Avoca, for example, should be capable of making a greater impact in Leinster League circles with Jamie Scott, Rory Kirwan, David Hanna and Graham Dowling coming back into circulation. They may not be ready, though, to cope with Pembroke's incisiveness tomorrow, particularly as the leaders will have Gordon Elliott resuming after holidays to link up with Justin Sherriff. Railway Union, after their eclipse by Three Rock Rovers last Saturday, will be expecting to get back into full momentum at the expense of Aer Lingus at Park Avenue. Jason Hatcher, with six goals from three games, may well add to his tally but John McInerney's young Aer Lingus side have been resisting precociously, notably through two 17-year-olds, Eamonn Bane and Ben Chillingworth as well as Dave Bane in midfield.
YMCA's new coach Rense Siegmund will want to capitalise more on the excellence of Michael Fry at sweeper and the engineroom trio of Steve McNeill, Eric Gierts and Will Powderly, when YM take on Three Rock. In Munster, several retirements are in the air. Harlequins defender Alan Bateman is turning to soccer while the legendary Ger Burns of Cork C of I looks like opting out of senior fare, though he might be needed in some role for next Easter's European Cup.
Alastair Dunne may be heading off to Australia after the interprovincial tournament but Derek Hales will still be at the helm of a strong C of I side in which Karl Burns, John Hobbs and Philip Smith are the up-and-coming elements. Tomorrow, at Garryduff, they will be fully alert to the renaissance of Catholic Institute, who enjoyed a 3-3 draw with Harlequins last weekend.
Tomorrow: Leinster Senior League Division One - Glenanne v Corinthians, St Mark's, 2.30; Monkstown v Clontarf, Rathdown, 1.30; Pembroke Wanderers v Avoca, Serpentine Avenue, 2.0; Railway Union v Aer Lingus, Park Avenue, 2.0; Three Rock Rovers v YMCA, Grange Road, 2.30; Division Two - DCU v Naas, St Clare's, 1.0; St James' Gate v St Brendans/Phoenix Park, Iveagh Grounds, 2.30; Suttonians v Skerries, Sutton Park, 3.0; UCD v Portrane, Belfield, 12.45; Weston v Eastern Health, Kings Hospital, 4.0; Dublin University v Kilkenny. Munster Premier Division - Harlequins A v Cork C of I B, Harlequin Park, 2.30; Waterford v Ashton, Newtown School, 2.30; Cork C of I A v Catholic Institute, Garryduff, 1.30; Bandon v Harlequins B, Bandon GS, 1.0. Ulster Senior League - Cliftonville v Annadale (1.0); Mossley v Banbridge (2.30); North Down v Raphoe (2.30); Instonians v Cookstown (1.0); Newry v Lisnagarvey (2.30).
