MENS HOCKEY: Making such declarations can sometimes be the kiss of death, but Glenanne's lead at the top of the Leinster Senior League now seems too large to claw back.

While the league is far from complete, the realistic fight now is for the remaining two places beneath Glenanne for the play-offs.

With three teams to advance from Leinster, three from Ulster and two from Munster (Cork C of I and Harlequins, who else?) into an All Ireland League play-off, Pembroke and Corinthians will have their eyes on the placements that would propel them forward to that round-robin phase.

For 2006, the quarter-final round has been removed. This allows qualification of all eight teams into the Club Championships Finals. The resultant eight-team competition follows the standard international tournament format, with two pools of four competing in round-robin format and the top two teams from each pool playing off in semi-final and final over May 12th, 13th and 14th.

The Grand Final then takes place on May 28th at the National Hockey Stadium in Belfield.

The long season, incidentally, is to accommodate the Irish team's quest to qualify for the World Cup. Dave Passmore and his squad are travelling to China for a tournament in April and, rightfully, the strongest club teams should have their top players available for the critical end of the season.

FIXTURES: Leinster Senior League: Division One: Pembroke Wanderers v Three Rock Rovers, 12.30pm, Serpentine Avenue; YMCA v Corinthians, 1pm tba; Dublin University v Railway Union, 12pm, Santry; Monkstown v Glenanne, 1.30pm, Rathdown; Fingal v Avoca tba. Division Two: Clontarf v UCD, 2pm, Mount Temple; Portrane/St B/PP v Suttonians, 12.15pm, DCU; Weston v Kilkenny, 2.30pm, King's Hospital; Naas v Bray tba. Munster Senior Cup: Semi-finals: Catholic Institute A v Harlequins, 12.00, Rosbrien.