MEN'S HOCKEY/Preview: Because Pembroke Wanderers and Instonians have both won the Irish Senior Cup in recent seasons, in 2000 and 1998, respectively, there will not be an intense hunger for success in tomorrow's final at Belfield (2.30) and therefore an exhilarating free-flowing spectacle is promised in the spring sunshine.
It will, of course, remain a high voltage, physical match and although 18 of the participants have already got cup medals, there will be special eagnerness from those who have not done so, to push for victory. This applies particularly to Francis de Rosa, the Pembroke captain of two years ago who could not play because of injury and who is now one of the mainstays of the side.
Ronan Gormley and Ken Treacy, two younger figures who have established themselves in Pembroke's starting line-up, will also be in the hunt for their first medals while the new-blood element applies in larger measure to Instonians, notably with the recruitment of Chris Barnes, Aaron Gill and Mark Gleghorne.
Overall, Pembroke - including 10 of the squad which defeated Lisnagarvey in the 2000 shoot-out - are the more settled team. Duncan McKeen, Paudie Carley, Devin Donnelly and Justin Sherriff will again be expected to play leading roles.
Instonians, no doubt, will respond to every cut and thrust. Julian Lewis can depend hugely on Paddy Brown at the back while Mark Wainwright and Clark Kennedy have a reputation for competitiveness and Mark Irwin, lying deep, can prompt lightning strikes from his fellow attackers. Their only regret to date was not taking their chances to foil Lisnagarvey of the Ulster league title.
Pembroke, eclipsed by Glenanne in Leinster circles but turning the tables in the cup semi-final, are probably in peak form. They can regain the trophy if, say, Gordon Elliott manages to create the space for Sherriff to break the cover regularly, even if the illustrious Billy McConnell, the Instonians coach, may well have cooked up some ploy to minimise this major threat.
There will be the valve for the losers in knowing that a place in Europe will remain on offer in the All-Ireland championship, with the two sides meeting again in the quarter-finals.
Sunday will be occupied by closing activities in Leinster, not least Avoca's final obstacle in the battle for survival in the first division. It will be a great surprise if they do not cope comfortably with the challenge of Naas, the second-division runners-up, in the play-off at Serpentine Avenue. Peter Young, though, will be keen for the Kildare men to enjoy the occasion.
At the same venue, in the Railway and Junior Cup deciders, Glenanne's second and fourth XIs will be aiming to add to the club's haul of trophies, at the expense of Aer Lingus II and Monkstown V (motivated by Noel McLean).
IRISH SENIOR CUP - PATHS TO FINAL: Pembroke: bt Mossley 3-0 (a), bt Monkstown 1-0 (a), bt Annadale 3-1 (a), bt Glenanne 4-3, aet (a); Instonians: bt UCD 2-1 (a), bt Lisnagarvey 2-1 (h), bt Raphoe 5-1 (a), bt Cork C of I 1-0 (h).
PEMBROKE WANDERERS: N Henderson, S Doran; A Kershaw, A Giles, F de Rosa, R Gormley, S Kershaw, K Treacy, J Sherriff, G Elliott, P Carley, P Good, M Tijs, D Donnelly, D McKeen (capt), S Stewart. Coach: S Filgas; manager: F Donnelly.
INSTONIANS: N Skillen, J Burns; J Fleming, M Wainwright, S Reid, T Taylor, C Barnes, A Cousins, C Kennedy, M Irwin, G Currie, J Lewis (capt), P Brown, A Gill, A Lewis, M Gleghorne. Coach: W McConnell; manager: B Feeney.
Umpires: C Hutchinson, G Burns; technical officer: D Grey.
SUNDAY: Leinster Senior League: Division One/Two play-off: Avoca v Naas, Serpentine Avenue, 12.0; Railway Cup final: Glenanne II v Aer Lingus II, Serpentine Avenue, 2.0; Junior Cup final: Glenanne IV v Monkstown V, Serpentine Avenue, 4.0.
