MEN'S HOCKEY:WITH A full schedule of league matches as well as the two semi-finals of the Leinster Senior Cup taking place at Serpentine Avenue on Sunday, it's a busy weekend for some clubs, with four of them likely to get to know each other very well indeed.
Monkstown meet Fingal and Pembroke face Corinthians in the Leinster Senior League on Saturday, and then turn around and do the same in the cup at Serpentine Avenue on Sunday afternoon.
Saturday sees the top two league sides, Corinthians and Pembroke, go head-to-head. The South African influence on Corinthians is certainly paying off and they hold a two-point lead over their rivals. But the Ballsbridge club have two games in hand, making this one a pivotal meeting.
Corinthians also travel to Serpentine Avenue as the only side to have beaten Pembroke in the league so far.
Given, too, their Irish Senior Cup exit, Pembroke will now probably focus more clearly on league success. Their 3-0 win over Fingal last weekend gives them a 61-goal count, quite a tally from 12 matches.
Third-placed Glenanne will also take an interest in the outcome as they are seven points behind Corinthians, but have three games in hand. They travel to Park Avenue to face a Railway side they beat 2-1 last Sunday.
Three Rock Rovers’ meeting with YMCA at Grange Road represents a tight mid-table clash. Only three points separate them in the table, and their last three league meetings have been draws.
At the other end of the table, bottom-placed Clontarf meet the team just above them, UCD, at Mount Temple. The John McInroy-led students will be hoping to improve on the home draw they got against the north Dublin side before Christmas.
WEEKEND FIXTURES
Saturday - Leinster Senior League, Division One: Fingal v Monkstown, Alsaa, 2.0; Railway Union v Glenanne, Park Avenue, 2.45; Clontarf v UCD, Mount Temple, 2.0; Pembroke v Corinthians, Serpentine Avenue, 2.0; TRR v YMCA, Grange Road, 1.0. Munster Senior League, Division One: UCC A v C of I B, Garryduff, 4.0. Ulster Senior League, Division One: Instonian v Lisnagarvey, Shaws Bridge, 1.0; Bangor v Raphoe, Bangor Sportsplex, 2.30; North Down v Kilkeel, Comber, 2.30; Annadale v Cookstown, Loch Moss, 2.30; Mossley v Banbridge, The Glade, 1.0.
Sunday - Leinster Senior Cup, semi-finals: Monkstown v Fingal, Serpentine Avenue, 1.15; Pembroke v Corinthians, Serpentine Avenue, 3.0.
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