The Ireland under-21s showed they can make some impact in the 16-nation Junior World Cup in Hobart, Tasmania, by outplaying Canada 3-1 in their final warm-up game before tackling the holders Australia in their opening match tomorrow (3.0 a.m. Irish time).

Captain David Eakins was on the target from a penalty stroke and a short corner, while Peter McConnell put away the other goal. Ireland are unlikely to contain the Australians, but second place in the initial pool will hinge on the game against England on Wednesday.

While the season has yet to reach full momentum on the home front, the all-Ireland play-offs look well within Monkstown's capabilities. Having taken a point off the champions, Pembroke Wanderers, and also drawing with the Leinster runners-up Glenanne, they gained further encouragement on Saturday by beating the third-placed Corinthians 3-0.

Monkstown's win was founded on a strong defence, in which Shane Davey and David Johnston were particularly assertive, allied to the sharp finishing of Michael Trounce, abetted by youth international Gareth Watkins. Trounce pounced twice to break the resistance of cosmopolitan Corinthians, whose latest recruit is Myles Warren from South Africa.

The Whitechurch side, though, were missing their skipper, James Benson, through injury, and it was a trifle flattering that Monkstown increased the margin in the final minute when Alan Lewis got a featherlike touch to a through ball from Greg Dunne.

As regards the universities' opening fixtures, Trinity were eventually overpowered by Glenanne at Santry (5-2), but UCD were a shade unfortunate to lose 2-1 to Aer Lingus at Belfield. The visitors largely took the points through the ability of the darting Aidan Dempsey to seize his chances, as well as from some top-class goalkeeping by Shane Ellis. He was beaten only at a late stage by the ubiquitous Stephen Tilson as the students continued to mount the greater volume of attacks.