MEN'S HOCKEY ROUND-UP:UMPIRES WARREN McCully and Dan Clarke may have their hands full at Serpentine Avenue tomorrow afternoon when Glenanne make the short journey to meet Pembroke in the second round of the Irish Senior Cup.
In last season’s semi-final Glenanne took Pembroke to 1-1 before falling 5-4 in sudden death. Pembroke then went on to take the title in a one-sided 6-0 win over Cookstown.
Following quickly on from those six goals in last year’s final, Pembroke carried the rich vein of scoring into this year’s event and hit 14 goals against hapless Bangor a few weeks ago in the first round with Irish striker, Alan Sothern, netting six and Justin Sherriff grabbing a hat-trick.
That haul could well earn Sothern the top scorer of the tournament without even hitting another goal.
Pembroke, who added another four goals to this season’s tally with a 4-0 midweek win over YMCA in the Leinster Senior Cup quarter-finals (where Sothern scored twice) are clearly the side to beat and, of any team, it is probably Glenanne who are best equipped to cause the upset.
Last week’s 4-3 win over Three Rock Rovers was encouraging and not only did it get Glenanne’s Irish Hockey League campaign back on track but set them up with some confidence for this weekend’s clash against the strongest side in the land.
Stephen Butler’s two goals along with strikes from Gary Shaw and Shane O’Donoghue were timely for Glenanne and once again they may look to play a game of frustration and opportunism, with Butler lethal at the set piece. McCully and Clarke could be busy.
Rovers and Leinster League leaders Corinthians are both in Dublin too with Corinthians hosting Cork C of I and hoping to make it to beyond this year’s quarterfinals, where they fell 3-1 in Belfast to Annadale in 2009.
Rovers fared no better, going out to Glenanne after the game finished 4-4, with Glenanne winning on penalties.
Rovers’ opponents Cookstown will arrive as underdogs if only because the Grange Road home advantage will give an edge. Capable of scoring freely, a 4-0 win over Bandon gave Rovers safe passage into the second round.
Cookstown, however, will be a much tougher test of the Rathfarnham side.
Monkstown face a difficult journey to Raphoe with Fingal hoping to upset Lisnagarvey in ALSAA.
The final group stages of the Irish Indoor tournament takes place on Sunday in the National Basketball Arena in Tallaght, when Glenanne, Avoca and Belfast Harlequins play-off for the final two places. The finals of the competition have been arranged for February 6th and 7th at the same venue.
Saturday:Irish Senior Cup, round two – Corinthains v Cork C of I, 1.30 Whitechurch Park; Pembroke v Glenanne, 3,00 Serpentine Avenue; Raphoe v Monkstown, 1.00 Royal and Prior; Mossley v Annadale, TBC The Glade; TRR v Cookstown, 3.00 Grange Road; Fingal v Lisnagarvey, 2.30 ALSAA; Kilkeel v YMCA, 1.30 McCauley Park; Instonians v Banbridge, 1.00 Shawsbridge.
