Cup draw brings Pembroke to senses

You can't help but feel some sympathy for Pembroke Wanderers

You can't help but feel some sympathy for Pembroke Wanderers. On Saturday, they were celebrating a superb comeback against Loreto, the new Statoil Leinster League leaders, after they had snatched two points for a score draw with a last-minute equaliser from Aisling Donnelly. Yesterday, they were brought back down to earth, with a large bump, after being drawn away to the seemingly invincible Pegasus in the first round of the Irish Senior Cup.

The All-Ireland champions cruised to yet another resounding victory in the Ulster league on Saturday, beating their closest rivals Randalstown 5-0 in Belfast - a result which leaves them with a record of played five, won five, scored 30, conceded none. While confidence should be high in Rudi Wortmann's young Pembroke Wanderers' team, after such a promising start to the season, they will feel the Irish Cup draw could have been just a tad kinder to them.

The big clash of the first round will take place in Dublin, where last season's runners-up, Old Alexandra, will play Loreto, who will look for revenge for their defeat by Old Alexandra in the quarterfinals last year.

Muckross, too, face a difficult tie after being drawn away to North Down, while last season's semi-finalists, UCC, must repeat their away win over Portadown if they are to progress to the second round. The draw for the second round of the Leinster Senior Cup was also made at the weekend, following Saturday's first round ties. Old Alexandra, who romped to an 8-0 win over Railway Union's second team (Trish Conway scored four of their goals) meet Senior B side Avoca, while Glenanne, for whom Audrey McCormick scored the winner against Hermes II on Saturday, will play Maids.

Mary Hannigan

Mary Hannigan

Mary Hannigan is a sports writer with The Irish Times