Avoca's tough task

Mathematically, Avoca - away to Cork Harlequins - have the best chance of the four sides trailing from the first-leg ties of reversing the tables in tomorrow's return games in the quarter-finals of the Nissan-sponsored All-Ireland Championship.

Harlequins, however, look sturdy enough, especially in midfield, to capitalise on their 2-1 win in Dublin. It would take a mighty effort by Avoca to repeat the victory achieved by their second XI who beat Harlequins II (2-0) in the 1997 Irish Junior Cup final.

Quite a few of the participants in that match will also be involved in tomorrow's game at Farmers Cross, not least Stephen Kinsella in the visitors' goal, but Dave Eakins will be expected to get sufficient opportunities to strike decisively for the home side.

Cork C of I may have a more demanding task of earning full representation for Munster in the last-four stage, for although they carry a 3-1 lead into their eplacement match against Lisnagarvey at Blaris, they will be conscious of remaining injury-free with the Irish Senior Cup final against Three Rock Rovers only a week away.

C of I's approach may well be that the best form of defence is to attack, but there will a tougher road to goal than there was last Saturday, for Robbie Taylor - who missed the Cork game - is now available to buttress the Ulster champions' resistance.

It may well be, however, that only Instonians, with a 3-2 advantage in tackling Glenanne at home, will represent Ulster in the last-four roundrobin competition at Belfield in a fortnight's time. Indeed, judging by their well organised performance in Dublin last week, Instonians will be hard to uproot as the defending champions in the Belfield tournament.

Pembroke Wanderers also have ambitions of returning to Europe for the Millennium. There is the formality of seeing off Annadale at Serpentine Avenue tomorrow after the 4-2 victory in Belfast. There can be no doubt about the outcome, particularly with both Paudie Carley and Stephen Stewart back after injury. Sunday's Railway Cup final at Serpentine Avenue promises to bring the Leinster season to a goodquality close, for both Corinthians II and Glenanne II include a large number of players who have experienced senior hockey. Corinthians can count, notably, on Ian Walshe, Ivan Ovington, Robbie Burns and Adrian Missen while Glenanne offer maturity in depth from Gerry Shaw, Seamus Shaw, Frank Byrne and Roly O'Donoghue.

Reflection: While Leinster Branch president Stuart Margetson's YMCA fifth XI were outnumbered by UCD III in the Minor Cup final, there was consolation in that three of his sons had put medals on the family dresser: Philip, Richard and Edward figured on the Wesley and Taney sides which won the under-16, under-14 and under-12 schools' cups.