Coming no more than a week after the third round of the All-Ireland competition, passion is limited for tomorrow's second round of the Leinster Senior Cup.
Yet there is some variety in the open-draw Cable & Wireless contests. Although four first-division clubs have undemanding passages to the quarter-finals, two will be eliminated by their own kin while, conversely, two second-division teams will survive from meetings with their fellow lower-level sides.
Poised to advance handsomely are Pembroke Wanderers, the Mills trophy holders, at the expense of second-division leaders Clontarf at Serpentine Avenue, while Avoca, 6-0 winners against Ashton last Saturday, are now equally blessed to have Naas as visitors to Whitechurch Park. Monkstown will also be too accomplished for UCD at Rath down and Suttonians, even at home, cannot be expected to hold Corinthians.
Good luck, nevertheless, to Craig McMullen (Clontarf), Des Healey (Naas), Andrew Jones (UCD) and Colm O'Hare (Suttonians) as they lead the rearguard actions.
The most inviting match brings Railway Union to Grange Road, where Three Rock Rovers will be aiming to reverse a recent 2-1 league defeat at Park Avenue. The outcome this time will probably hinge on which side has fewer hamstring casualties.
In the other premier-grade joust, Glenanne's unrelenting top form indicates another defeat for YMCA - it was 3-0 in the league - but before the season ends, YM are going to bring down someone at Ballinteer.
In the two modest battles to join the elite in the last eight-stage, Portrane are hosts to Trinity while St James's Gate welcome Skerries to the Iveagh Grounds.
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