Pembroke need to start on the right foot in Eindhoven

MEN'S HOCKEY:NATIONAL CHAMPIONS Pembroke will have to adapt to an early start in Eindhoven today as they line out against Ukraine's Olimpia Kolos Sekvoia this morning in the first of their two group matches in the EuroHockey League – the continent's premier club competition.

They tip off at 8.30am Irish time but, after a summer of turmoil in which nearly 600 international caps’ worth of experience left these shores, the Serpentine Avenue club will be pleased to have drawn the tournament’s lowest ranked side.

They follow up on Sunday with a daunting tie against Dutch outfit HGC. It means getting a result today is vital if Pembroke are to take one of the two available places in the last 16 from the three-team group.

Last season, Pembroke became the first Irish side to win a game in the competition when they beat Scotland’s Kelburne 4-2.

Alan Sothern scored four times that day but he has since moved to Den Bosch in the Netherlands and fellow internationals Conor and David Harte, Andy McConnell, Ronan Gormley, Justin Sherriff and player-coach Craig Fulton are no longer with the squad.

With Gordon Elliott and Colin Kelly also unable to travel with the panel it gives new coach Brendon Carolan plenty to ponder over.

South African newcomers Brandon Panther, Jethro Eustice and Gowan Jones have covered some of the cracks, while Ronan Flannery is quickly becoming a talisman since his return from UCD. And Carolan is confident his remoulded side can get the better of Olimpia, saying “They are not a bad side but we’ve seen the way they play and we should be confident going into the tie.”

Indeed, the Ukrainians barely snuck into the competition with a third-place finish in last May’s EuroHockey Club Champion’s Trophy – the second tier of club hockey in the continent.

Meanwhile, on the domestic front, Glenanne’s match up with Monkstown is the pick of the games in Leinster – a meeting of the only sides with two wins under their belt to date.

WEEKEND FIXTURES: Today – Euro Hockey League, Pool F:Pembroke v Olimpia Kolos Sekvoia, Eindhoven, 8.30am. Saturday – Leinster Senior League, Division One:UCD v Three Rock Rovers, Belfield, 1pm; Weston v Fingal, Griffeen Valley Park, 3pm; Corinthian v Railway Union, Whitechurch, 1.15pm; Glenanne v Monkstown, Glenanne Park. 3pm. Division Two: Rathgar Chiefs v Clontarf, High School, 2pm; Navan v Suttonians, Kings Hospital, 12.30pm; Avoca v Bray, Newpark, 1.45pm. Sunday – Euro Hockey League, Pool F:Pembroke v HC, Eindhoven, 11am.