MEN'S HOCKEY: Those who have indulged least in the festive season will be best able to cope with the demanding start to the new year in Leinster circles. A full premier division programme tomorrow is followed by the second round of the Mills Cup on Sunday.
It's pretty tough for Trinity to be facing Glenanne in both Leinster competitions, but it will be a valuable exercise for the students in view of their Irish Senior Cup tie against holders Instonians in a further week's time.
In the league game at the start of the term, Trinity lost 6-2 at home to Glenanne, whose maturity is likely to be again a key factor, both in Tallaght and at Santry. The nimbleness, however, of national panel undergraduates Phelie Maguire and Peter Blakeney could fully stretch the cup favourites in Sunday's match.
Assuming Glenanne take full points tomorrow, they will remain at the top of the table along with Pembroke Wanderers who, with Colin Brady to the fore, will be expected to be as dominant against Clontarf as they were in the 6-0 scoreline earlier in the season. The return, though, in the Clontarf ranks of such prominent Pembroke 'old boys' as Dougie Good, Ross McMullen and Ian Battle will make it a jocular occasion at Serpentine Avenue.
Aer Lingus, two points behind the joint leaders, will be determined to reverse a 4-3 defeat by Three Rock Rovers in October in this weekend's meeting at the airport. Aer Lingus showed their prowess in the narrow loss to Pembroke in the Neville Cup final on St Stephen's Day and ought to be in better physical shape than Rovers.
Monkstown will also be aiming to keep in the running on their visit to Corinthians, who have lost some dash since Colin Stewart's retirement. It was 3-2 in Monkstown's favour in the autumn at St Andrew's and, spearheaded by Gareth Watkins, they may just about repeat that result as Corinthians continue their re-development process, still with an Australian flavour.
YMCA, who are beginning to blend successfully, can continue to move up the table by improving on a 2-2 draw with Railway Union at the start of the season in tomorrow's local derby at Claremont Road.
The second-division pace-setters, Avoca, are away from Dublin, competing in a Birmingham tournament in preparation for their European indoor championship assignment in Finland next month.
In Cork tomorrow, Harlequins are due to host C of I in the Peard Cup final which will provide the opportunity for both of Munster's elite sides to tune up for the imminent Irish Senior Cup visits of Glenanne and Banbridge
WEEKEND FIXTURES:
Tomorrow - Leinster Senior League: Division One: YMCA v Railway Union, Claremont Road, 12.0; Corinthians v Monkstown, Whitechurch Park, 2.30; Glenanne v Dublin University, Glenanne Park, 2.0; Pembroke Wanderers v Clontarf, Serpentine Avenue, 2.0; Aer Lingus v Three Rock Rovers, ALSAA, 1.30; Division Two: Skerries v St James's Gate, RCSI, 1.0; St Brendan's-Phoenix Park v Portrane, DCU, 1.0; Naas v Weston, Naas, 12.0. Peard Cup final: Cork Harlequins v Cork C of I, Harlequin Park, 3.0.
Sunday - Mills Cup (second round): Skerries v Corinthians, RCSI, 12.0; YMCA v St James's Gate, Claremont Road, 1.30; Monkstown v UCD, St Andrew's, 1.30; Railway Union v Clontarf, Park Avenue, 1.15; Dublin University v Glenanne, Santry, 2.30; Suttonians v Three Rock Rovers, Grange Road, 2.0; Naas v Portrane, Naas, 12.0.
