Hockey/Men: The freshly ambitious Irish Hockey Association (IHA) have announced that Ireland has been short-listed in a bid to host the men's qualifying tournament in Dublin in the spring of 2008 for the Beijing Olympics.
Also in contention are France, New Zealand and Switzerland, with a decision expected either in June or September of this year.
The Olympics bid was announced as part of the unveiling yesterday of a new branding and commercial drive for the game here.
"The days of hockey being seen as a 'backwater' amateur sport in Ireland are gone," said IHA chief executive Paul Varian.
Meanwhile, in awaiting further progress in the key development of a full-blown all-Ireland league, the Irish Senior Cup final keeps the ball rolling this weekend. There is an extra interest to Sunday's match at Belfield, because Lisnagarvey and Instonians must also meet on April 9th to decide which of these sides will gain the remaining Ulster berth in the quarter-finals of the club championship.
Instonians have clung on defiantly in defence of both titles. Their progress in the Cup has not been inspiring, notably in needing extra-time to edge out YMCA and then managing only a 1-0 win at Bandon. But with Paddy Browne back from injury to join Neil Cooke in the rearguard, it will be a difficult challenge for Lisnagarvey to make a breakthrough. Instonians, too, can counter-attack menacingly through Mark Irwin and his cohorts.
So, a top-class performance will be needed by Lisnagarvey's talented squad, many of whom gained winners' medals in 2003. Probably, extra endeavour can be expected from the ex-Newry pair, Errol Lutton (who has quietly retired from international hockey) and Ivan Steen. And possibly Mark Tumilty will enter the fray to make a decisive impact.
In the Junior Cup final tomorrow, Cork Harlequins II must be rated favourites to beat Banbridge II, for the Munster side include no fewer than seven members of the senior panel which played in the European Cup Winners' Cup in Vienna last weekend. Conor Harte, at the back, and David Lombard, as the driving force, look capable of earning victory.
There remain several loose ends to be tidied up in the Leinster Senior League, notably at Claremont Road where YMCA can cast away any risk of relegation or Glenanne can clinch second place.
The gala opening of Avoca's new, state-of-the-art pitch at Newpark, after many patient years of negotiation, should also be noted tomorrow. The occasion features a match involving former internationals and members of the club's first XI who have regained their place in the first division, though it may be a year or two before they have a chance to recapture the Mills Cup.
INSTONIANS (squad): N Skillen; M Wainwright, T Taylor, C Kirk, S Reid, A Cousins, C Kennedy, M Irwin, G Currie, J Lewis, P Browne, M Watt, N Cooke (capt), A Lewis, R Lee, M Adams, A Seay. Coach: P Hollway; manager: B Feeney.
LISNAGARVEY (squad): D Williamson; B Waring, I Davidson, J Bloomfield, J Gray, M Robinson, M Tumilty, K Lunn, E Lutton (capt), M Raphael, T Cockram, S Arbuthnot, P Stirling, M Lappin, N Gallagaher, I Steen. Coach: P McCabe, manager: I Ross.
TOMORROW: Irish Junior Cup (final): Cork Harlequins II v | Banbridge II, Belfield, 1.30 (G Conn, R Johnston). Leinster Senior League - Division One: Dublin University v Clontarf, Santry, 2.0; Monkstown v Three Rock Rovers, St Andrew's, 2.0; Railway Union v Pembroke Wanderers, Park Avenue, 3.0; YMCA v Glenanne, Claremont Road, 2.0; Aer Lingus v Corinthians, ALSAA, 2.0. Neville Davin Cup - Semi-final: Kilkenny v Portrane, Kilkenny, 2.0.
SUNDAY: Irish Senior Cup final: Lisnagarvey v Instonians, Belfield, 2.30 (G Quail, C Porter). Neville Davin Cup - Semi-final: Avoca v Weston, Newpark, 12.30.
