Having had their league ambitions severely dented by last weekend's most improbable defeat by UCD, it will be a chastened Glenanne which travels to take on Carlow tomorrow in the second round of the Cable & Wireless-sponsored Leinster Senior Cup.
Yet this assignment may well be fortuitous for the embattled Dubliners in that the grit pitch at St Leo's Convent will provide familiarisation with the similar surface on which they will be exposed at Raphoe on January 10th in the next stage of the All-Ireland Senior Cup.
While it will be difficult for a side largely weaned on astroturf to beat Carlow, greater stamina and set-piece technique (provided the hit-outs work smoothly) should be factors in Glenanne's survival at the expense of the second-division brigade.
Pembroke Wanderers, now with a five-point cushion as league leaders following Wednesday's 4-2 win over Avoca, will feel relaxed for their cup tie against Suttonians but, like Glenanne, will take a while to adapt to the Sutton Park pitch.
"Pembroke needn't expect to stop their short corners perfectly," said the Suttonians president, coach and midfielder, Colm O'Hare. "They offered to switch the venue but we're very proud to have them here. It will be our biggest occasion before our own astro is ready in May." While George Nish is the home side's leading marksman, his team will do well to reply once to a Pembroke halfdozen.
Of the two all first-division ties, the Railway Union-Three Rock Rovers game at Park Avenue ranks as match of the day. Rovers, as holders, will probably have the urge to win, with the midfield trio of Robin Madeley, Andrew Walker and Rick Johnson engineering sufficient openings for a strike force that can be prolific.
Fujitsu-backed Monkstown, having felt the full impact of Liam Canning and his cohorts last week, may have an opportunity for their own attackers to forge a win over YMCA at Wesley, to gain a quarter-final berth, though it is in the league that both teams would prefer success.
Avoca may be expected to record the most fluent victory of the afternoon, with St Brendan's/ Phoenix Park visiting Rathdown. Wins are also forecast for the universities as they are now finding their fluency - Trinity (against Eastern Health) and UCD (v Aer Lingus) - while Portrane are showing better form than St Jame's Gate.
Tomorrow - Leinster Senior Cup (second round) - Avoca v St Brendan's/Phoenix Park, Rathdown, 12.0; Carlow v Glenanne, St Leo's, 1.30; Dublin University v Eastern Health, Grange Road, 11.0; Portrane v St James's Gate, Dardistown, 1.30; Railway Union v Three Rock Rovers, Park Avenue, 3.0; Suttonians v Pembroke Wanderers, Sutton Park School, 1.30; UCD v Aer Lingus, Belfield, 1.0; YMCA v Monkstown, Wesley College, 2.0.
