FUELLED by the two year funding by Nissan of the Irish Senior Cup and all Ireland club championship finals, the IHU can start putting a foot on the accelerator again.

An executive committee meeting tomorrow is expected to ratify the reappointment of Cees Koppelaar as national coach.

The Belarussian squad, who so nearly failed to arrive in time for the European Championship in Dublin, appear to have made it to the Olympic Games qualifying round robin in Barcelona.

So for Ireland (who had been on stand by as first reserves) the next major assignment is the World Cup preliminary qualifying tournament in Cagliari, Sardinia, in October. It should be within the side's capabilities to move on to Kuala Lumpur next year to attempt to reach Utrecht in 1998.

With only a fortnight away from the most powerful pairings in the Irish Senior Cup quarter finals since the open draw came into operation in 1980, the last eight stage of the Cable & Wireless sponsored Leinster Mills Cup tomorrow provides more modest fare.

Yet, Three Rock Rovers and Pembroke Wanderers - both still standing on the wider stage - will attack each other with undoubted verve at Grange Road.

If Pembroke capitalise on their greater all round pace and if someone stalks Liam Canning, the 2-0 win which Rovers gained in the league will be challenged fully.

Glenanne and Corinthians, who meet in Tallaght, have both promised much but have had their disappointments. A replay may well be necessary to decide this semi final berth.

Equally, the UCD YMCA and Monkstown Carlow ties are well balanced.

Monkstown, though, will find that Carlow carry more vigour than last season and the first division side may get through.

AMEV-YM, on the other hand, could be eliminated by the second division leaders. The irony is that the students are fielding four players who were weaned in Wesley circles - Johnny Sleeman, Mark Vincent, Stephen Jones and Peter Fox.