HOCKEY: After a tentative start to the season, Glenanne have worked up to full steam. Their 4-0 victory over Pembroke Wanderers at St Mark's on Saturday left little doubt about their intentions to keep the league title out of Three Rock Rovers' reach. They have also cleared significant first hurdles in their defence of the Neville and Mills Cups in eliminating Monkstown and Aer Lingus respectively.

In contrast to a Pembroke side going through a transition stage, Glenanne played assertively and crisply. They were a trifle flattered to be two up at the interval, for it was from short-corner scrambles that David Shaw put away his brace of goals.

But although Scottish midfielder Paddy Conlon strove to get the visitors into attacking positions, Pembroke lacked fire-power,while Glenanne's strong surges yielded second-half strikes for Paul Fitzpatrick and Mark Lambe.

The home side were so much in control squad newcomers Eddie O'Malley jnr and Ralph Billings, came off the bench late on.

Pace-setters Three Rock swept to a 7-2 defeat of Avoca, with four-goal Peter McConnell doing most of the damage at Rathdown, while Corinthians and Monkstown, who beat Glenanne at the start of the campaign, also maintained their claims for All-Ireland championship berths with closely-fought wins. Corinthians came through 2-1, after a hotly disputed second half against feisty Railway Union at Park Avenue.

Former Bundesliga striker John Smyth slammed Corinthians in front a minute after the interval. International cricketer Niall O'Brien (one of five O'Brien brothers much in the fray) whipped home a dextrous equaliser but the issue was decided when Smyth converted a penalty stroke.

Monkstown were vigorously matched by Aer Lingus at St Andrew's but took the points with a late short-corner winner by David Jenkins after Ian Allen had notched two classy goals. Adrian Sweeney and Eamon Bane were on the target for the northsiders.

In Munster, Harlequins continue to sweep all before them, UCC being the latest victims as Eddie Gash, David Eakins and Jason Black figured in the 6-0 scoreline. That trio along with Cork C of I's John Jermyn, who registered all four goals against Limerick, are bound to be lively performers in next Saturday's interprovincial against Leinster at Belfield.