The Irish Hockey Association has accepted an invitation to send John Clarke's developing international squad to the President's Gold Cup tournament in Dhaka, Bangladesh, from March 10th-20th.
It is understood Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Japan, China, Singapore, Egypt and Scotland will be the other participants in the 10-team competition. The Bangladesh government is funding air fares and accommodation. Hopefully, most of Ireland's up-and-coming players will be available for this stimulating assignment.
Meanwhile, coming so close to Christmas, the signals may not be totally vibrant for tomorrow's second round of the Cable & Wireless-sponsored Leinster Senior (Mills) Cup. Yet goals should flow liberally and there are several ties which have an edge about them, notably the Aer Lingus0Railway Union game at ALSAA and the other all-first division joust involving Corinthians and Trinity at Whitechurch Park.
Aer Lingus, with Ben Chillingworth and Trevor Parsons to the fore, played with an encouraging sharpness to beat Trinity 2-0 last weekend to lessen thespectre of relegation. They are more settled now than when they lost 3-1 to Railway at the start of the season and with additions to the squad in Jan-Willem Findlater (back from Holland) and Calum Davidson from Scotland, the New Year need not be too lean. While Railway, on the bottom rung of the league table, have not been enjoying the best of fortune, it was a boost to share the points with Monkstown on Saturday, when Glenn Bailey kept out a penalty stroke from David Johnston, and Mark Henderson's side will certainly battle all the way for cup survival tomorrow.
Trinity, while also battling to stay in the premier division, may welcome the light relief of knock-out fare. They lost 5-3 to Corinthians in an early-season league game and can only hope to keep the margin relatively close again. The fierce competitiveness of Sean Clauson epitomises Corinthians' hunger for success and Ivan Ovington is leading the team with extra zest.
High scoring can be expected in the games in which Pembroke Wanderers, Glenanne and Avoca are at home to second-division opposition in Clontarf, Skerries and Weston respectively, while Three Rock Rovers should also come through comfortably at Suttonians.
On St Stephen's Day, Pembroke - missing Justin Sherriff and Dougie Good - may not be able to break the Glenanne bogey when the two premier sides meet once more in the Neville Cup final at Serpentine Avenue.
Even if Pembroke are foiled again, it will have been a useful exercise for several younger players on the fringe of the squad, like Ken Treacy and Ronan Gormley, the Leinster under-18s captain.
TOMORROW - Leinster Senior Cup (second round) - Eastern Health v Naas (1.0); Aer Lingus v Railway Union (1.30); Glenanne v Skerries (1.30); St James's Gate v St Brendan's/ Phoenix Park (2.0); Suttonians v Three Rock Rovers (1.0); Corinthians v Dublin University (1.30); Avoca v Weston (11.45); Pembroke Wanderers v Clontarf (2.0).
ST STEPHEN'S DAY - Neville Cup final - Pembroke Wanderers v Glenanne, Serpentine Avenue, 2.0.
