Pembroke Wanderers, having been held to a 1-1 draw by the hosts Lazio on Saturday, yesterday sailed through to this afternoon's final in the B Division of the European Cup Winners' Cup in Rome after beating Gordonians of Scotland, 2-0.

Pembroke enjoyed the lions' share of the pressure; but it wasn't really until the second half that they started to make inroads into the Scottish defence.

They broke the deadlock from a 43rd minute penalty stroke put away by Paudie Carley after Francis de Rosa had been fouled in the heart of the circle. De Rosa put his side two up nine minutes later when he forced the ball over the line following a goalmouth melee.

Although Pembroke looked home and dry at that stage, the game could easily have taken a turn 11 minutes from time when the Scots were awarded a penalty. But, fortunately for the Dubliners, Nigel Henderson produced a brilliant save.

Speaking afterwards, coach Jonathan Cole said: "For me the man of the match was Henderson, for that save from the penalty clearly took a lot of pressure off us."

With regards to today's match against the French side Montrouge, Cole said: "We have achieved our initial target of reaching the final and so gaining promotion for our successors as Irish Cup winners - now we go for gold."

Ireland will have two representatives in the A divisions of European hockey next year if Lisnagarvey, though struggling, manage to overcome Bremins Brest, from Belarus, in the champions clubs tournament in Terrassa today.

Yesterday, the Ulster side who were beaten 5-0 by the hosts on Saturday, collected their first point when they drew 4-4 with Grunwald of Poland. Although finishing bottom of Pool B, they can salvage prestige by defeating Brest in the cross-over tie.

Mark Tumilty put the Lisburn team in front after three minutes but the Poles moved 2-1 ahead before Dan Clarke equalised shortly before half-time. Greg Lavery put the deposed Ulster champions ahead in the 44th minute and Colin Clarke scored to make it 4-3 with just five minutes remaining but Grunwald levelled just before the final hooter.

Hermes will attempt to retain Ireland's A Division status in the women's European Cup Winners' Cup this morninmg when they play English club Hightown in Louvain in the tournament's 5th6th place play-off. Their slim hopes of winning through to the bronze medal play-off ended yesterday when Scotland's Bonagrass Grove beat the hosts Louvain 6-0 in their final Pool A match.

Earlier in the day the Leinster champions were overwhelmed by Amsterdam, losing 6-0 to the Dutch cup holders who now move into today's final where they will meet Pool B winners Dinamo Sumy of the Ukraine. Helen Kilroy can attest to the power of Pietie Coetzee's dragflick after she was hit just above the eye by an effort from the South African international from a short corner. Coetzee can, in turn, attest to the resilience of the Hermes sweeper who returned to the ground from hospital, with six stitches inserted in her wound, already looking forward to the meeting with Hightown.

To add insult to injury a penalty stroke was awarded against Kilroy for the offence of raising her stick to protect herself from Coetzee's strike. Julie Deiters' conversion, in the 27th minute, put Amsterdam 3-0 up, after Frederique Grijpma and Sylvia Karres had scored twice in the opening 16 minutes.

Alexandra van der Tuin made it 4-0 on the stroke of half-time but the scoreline would have been much worse but for the heroics of Tara Browne in the Hermes' goal. The Irish panellist pulled off a string of outstanding saves but was powerless to deny Grijpma her second goal of the match in the 43rd minute and was probably well advised to allow a Coetzee effort from play enter the net eight minutes later.

On Saturday Hermes beat Louvain 5-3, with Kilroy clearing two shots from short corners off the line to protect her team's lead. By the 44th minute they led 4-0, with goals from Aisling Keane, Fiona Manning, Sinead McDonnell (penalty stroke) and Deirdre McDermott. Kristien Renaer and Charlotte Sondagh replied for the Belgians, Manning settled growing nerves by scoring her second in the 56th minute with Sondagh's reply three minutes later the final score of the game.