Men's Hockey: Pembroke, currently sharing the top place on the league table with Corinthians, face what could be a difficult challenge at St Andrew's tomorrow when they play Monkstown.
Rated, perhaps, outside the top four teams, Monkstown have so far shown a proclivity towards troubling the fancied teams more than the perceived weaker teams in the league.
Last week's encouraging 6-3 win over YMCA did not come out of nothing as Monkstown have also taken the scalp of Three Rock Rovers, but, unfathomably, they managed only draws with both Trinity and UCD.
Last week's episode against YMCA saw Gareth Watkins convert two penalties with Simon Cox scoring four from play.
But against UCD midweek last week, the students were unlucky to concede a goal eight minutes from the end in their 1-1 draw at Belfield.
While on occasion the quality of performance has sometimes seemed to depend on what Monkstown team turns up, the Dún Laoghaire borough side are not short on ability and with Noel Bailey's coaching and a fitness programme put in place by Ireland and Loreto hockey club's Catriona O'Kelly, their optimism against Pembroke seems well placed.
Favourites Pembroke, still suffering from player unavailability due to injury and studies, namely Alan Kershaw and Gordon Elliott, will also keep an eye on how Corinthians do against Three Rock Rovers at Grange Road.
Rovers were hit last week by the flu epidemic, with the stricken Alan Bothwell still 50-50 for the weekend.
Good news though is that Gary Ringwood came off the bench in their last match and should be available for action tomorrow.
There's an important match, too, at Belfield, where UCD face Railway Union, both teams seeking to distance themselves from the bottom rungs of the table while YMCA expect to rectify matters when they meet Trinity.
That, however, might be easier said than done as the students managed three goals against Rovers last week in their 4-3 defeat. But that said, the festive Mauritius Cup, which Trinity are hosting this week, occasionally takes more out of them than the hockey alone can explain.
FIXTURES
Saturday
Leinster Senior League: Division One - Aer Lingus v Glenanne 1.30 p.m. Alsaa; Monkstown v Pembroke Wanderers 1.30 p.m. St Andrew's; Three Rock Rovers v Corinthians 3 p.m. Grange Road; UCD v Railway Union tbc; YMCA v Dublin University 2 p.m. Wesley. Division Two - Avoca v St Brendan's 3 p.m. Rathdown School; Skerries v Naas 1 p.m Sportslink; Weston v Bray 4.15 p.m. King's Hospital; Clontarf v Suttonians 12.45 p.m. Sutton Park School; Portrane v St James's Gate 1 p.m. RCSI Munster Senior League - Harlequins B v C of I A 2 p.m. Farmers Cross; Catholic Inst A v Bandon A, 1.30 p.m. Rosbrien.
Sunday
Peard Cup: semi-final - Harlequins A v UCC 3 p.m. Farmers Cross; C of I A v Belvedere A, noon Garyduff.
Tuesday
(November 11th)
Neville Cup: quarter-final - YMCA v Pembroke 7.30 p.m. Wesley College; Three Rock Rovers v Monkstown 8 p.m. Grange Road.
