Pembroke keep up the pressure

HOCKEY/Irish Senior Cups: With seven goals between them on Saturday Justin Sherriff, who scored four in Pembroke Wanderers' 6-2 win over Trinity, and Stephen Butler, who got a hat-trick in Glenanne's 3-1 defeat of Three Rock Rovers, helped see to it that the top of the Leinster first division table remains unchanged, with Pembroke, five points behind Glenanne, still the leaders' closest challengers.

Fingal, though, stayed in touch with the top two, moving above Corinthian (who didn't play at the weekend) in to third place after beating YMCA 4-1 at Claremont Road, while Gareth Watkins got the decider for Monkstown in their 2-1 win over Railway Union.

The big games in Munster and Ulster ended in draws, Church of Ireland (John Jermyn penalty stroke) and Harlequins (David Egner) tying 1-1, while a Timmy Cockram goal 15 seconds from time gave Lisnagarvey a point in their 2-2 draw with Instonians.

There was no joy for Leinster clubs in the first round of the Irish Senior Cup, with Skerries, Portrane/St Brendans and Weston all going out.

Skerries fought back against the PSNI after trailing 3-0 at half-time but couldn't force an equaliser, losing out 3-2.

After a scoreless 70 minutes Portrane's game against Queen's went in to extra time, with the students finally converting their dominance in to goals, going 3-0 up by the break.

Rory Billings scored twice for the home side in the second period but David McClune's second goal sealed the win. Bandon just about held off the challenge of Weston, winning 3-2, while Raphoe set up a second round tie with Kilkenny by beating Newry 3-1.

IRISH SENIOR CUP - First round: PSNI 3, Skerries 2; Weston 2 (E Tucker, D Maguire), Bandon 3 (R Smith 2, T Martin); Raphoe 3 (R Farman, S Stephenson, J Watt), Newry 1; Portrane/St Brendans 2 (R Billings 2), Queens 4 (D McClune 2, S Watt, A Spratt), after extra time. Second round draw: Queen's v Cliftonville, Suttonians v Antrim, Ballynahinch v Clontarf, Belfast Harlequins v Portadown, Bray v Armagh, Raphoe v Kilkenny, Belvedere v PSNI, Mossley v UCD, Bandon v St James Gate, Kilkeel v Naas.