Men's Hockey: As Glenanne players, Stephen Butler and Graham Shaw, arrive home today after a successful week in South Africa, they will be cheered to see that their club has prospered without them.
Glenanne's 5-0 win over Avoca at Newpark strengthens the club's stranglehold at the top of the table. A combination of factors, not least of all their own high-scoring win, has increased their lead.
With closest rivals Pembroke and Corinthians drawing 3-3 in Whitecurch Park, it seems their efforts to keep Glenanne in their sights have wilted.
Also with players away in South Africa, Pembroke will be cursing their luck that they faced the third-placed side while Glenanne played Avoca, who are still seeking their first win.
The international players as a whole will not be too disappointed. Having drawn and beaten South Africa, the ninth-best ranked side in the world, for the first time midweek (Ireland are 23rd), the side went on to defeat New South Wales 2-0 and 4-2 in the closing two games of a week-long camp in Pretoria.
What might please Irish coach Dave Passmore is that the four goals in that 4-2 win all came from new arrivals to the squad. Trinity's Peter Blackeney and Phelie Maguire netted a goal each with Eguene Magee and John Jermyn also getting on the scoresheet.
That Ireland did not lose any of their four games is encouraging - although the South Africa scoreline may also be seen in the light of England beating them 8-0.
Ireland will face that English national side in a tough opening match in China for their first pool game in the World Cup qualifier in April.
LEINSTER SENIOR LEAGUE - Division One: Avoca 0, Glenanne 5 (J Goulding 2, M Lambe, P Fitzpatrick, J Brennan); Corinthians 3 (C Pelow 3), Pembroke 3 (C Fulton, P Conlon, A Giles); Railway Union 1 (K Carroll), YMCA 1 (D Johnson); Monkstown 4, Trinity 2. Division Two: Kilkenny v St James Gate, postponed; UCD 2 (G Holmes, C Wilson), Naas 2 (M Weir, C Davenport); Skerries 2 (A Turner, S Healy), P/St B/PP 3 (R Billings 2, C Neville); Suttonians 0, Clontarf 3 (J Smith 2, K Rooney).
MUNSTER SENIOR LEAGUE - Cork C of I 2nds 1 (S Sweetman), C of I 1sts 6 (A Herbert 2, J Bruton 2, J Lynch, K Twomey); Belvedere 3 (G Casey, P Murray, E Dwyer), Catholic Institute 6 (D Kananagh 3, T Pratt 2, J Wallace)
IRISH JUNIOR CUP - Quarter-final: Annadale 2nds 8, Weston 0.
