Harlequins have much to prove

Men's HockeyAs the first division sides enter the fray in the third round of the Irish Senior Cup this weekend, Cork Harlequins must be among the strongest contenders to carry off the trophy.

Captained by Jason Black, they remain stoically determined to claim the trophy for the first time in the club's 77 years, particularly as they have been beaten in the past two finals by Instonians and Lisnagarvey.

Now the most mature team in the country and with a nucleus of Munster's championship winning side, Harlequins will surely confirm their rank as favourites by eliminating Three Rock Rovers at Grange Road tomorrow.

Furthermore, their technical skills have been honed by David Passmore, giving additional firing-power alternatives to the marksmanship of David Eakins and making it all the more difficult for Rovers to survive.

Rovers, missing the dynamisn of Peter McConnell as well as their Trinity under-graduates, have not been having a fruitful season. They hope, however, that with the return of Christian Judd after injury, there will be greater scope for Stephen Tilson to show his scoring ability. Harlequins, though, have a master goalkeeper in Wesley Bateman and overall he is unlikely to be as busy as his opposite number, Wendal Armstrong.

Next to Harlequins, it should soon be Annadale's turn to win the cup. Having built up a resourceful side over recent years, they now have Graham Shaw to provide extra thrust when Pembroke Wanderers visit Lough Moss tomorrow. In the same pairing in the quarter-final stage last season, Pembroke lost 4-1 and, even though the Leinster champions field some outstanding individual players, their defence has been depleted by injury and they thus may not be sufficiently equipped for knock-out competition.

Nevertheless, there is a chance that the Ireland captain Nigel Henderson will be fit to return between the posts while Colin Kelly expects to ressume at left back.

IRISH SENIOR CUP (third round) - Avoca v Portadown, Newpark, 2.30 (A Groves, J Girdham); Cork C of I v UCC, Garryduff, 2.0 (P Griffen, S King); Trinity v Railway Union, Santry, 3.0 (D Shine, O Divito); Raphoe v Instonians, Royal & Prior School, 2.30 (D Stewart, E McFerran); Cookstown v Banbridge, Coolnafranky, 2.30 (W McCully, C Porter); South Antrim v Monkstown, Laurell SZ, 1.0 (J Robson, S Higginson); Belvedere v Bandon, Ballincollig, 1.30 (M Canniffe, I Bolger); UCD v Glenanne, Belfield, 2.45 (G Quail, I Conning); Three Rock Rovers v Harlequins, Grange Road, 2.30 (C McConkey, R Johnston); Antrim v Lisnagarvey, Antrim Forum, 2.30 (T Templeton, G Maguire); North Down v Aer Lingus, Comber LC, 2.30 (D Glasgow, R Burton); Suttonians v YMCA, Sutton Park , 2.0 (G Caulwell, B George); Clontarf v NICS, Mount Temple, 2.0 (G Walsh, C Deane); Kilkeel v Catholic Institute, Kilkeel HS, 2.30 ((N McKay, G Conn); Annadale v Pembroke Wanderers, Lough Moss, 2.30 (R O'Connor, C Hutchinson); Bangor v Corinthians, Ballykilliare, 2.30 (R Kendrick, R McMinn).