HOCKEY WEEKEND PREVIEW:AFTER THE exertions of Indoor Hockey last weekend, Leinster Senior League Division One returns to a full programme tomorrow, with Monkstown against Pembroke Wanderers in Rathdown School headlining.
Pembroke go into the match full of confidence following their 2-1 midweek win over YMCA, a result that has them at the top of the table and pushed YMCA down into third position.
Suddenly the league race has come to life. Pembroke are now leading with 25 points, with Glenanne chasing on 23 points and YMCA on 22 points.
One crumb of comfort for YMCA and Glenanne is Pembroke have played two games more and while points in the bag are better than potential points, Pembroke will be thinking a greater gap is required if they are to hold their place at the top.
Monkstown in fourth place are even further behind in their match schedule, which makes tomorrow’s meeting all the more important, especially as Glenanne are very likely to beat the UCD students, who travel to Glenanne Park. When Monkstown met Pembroke in October at Serpentine Avenue, the home side edged it 3-2, so Monkstown should go into the match confident they can take something from the meeting.
Of the other two fixtures involving sides challenging for the title, YMCA’s journey to north Dublin to tackle Fingal is more fraught than Glenanne’s game against UCD. Fingal have shown decent form in recent weeks, taking points from struggling Three Rock Rovers and sixth placed Corinthians.
Rovers have a double weekend, which could lift them or double their troubles. They face Railway Union on Saturday in a tough encounter and then Weston on Sunday. Both matches will shape the rest of Three Rock’s season, and either propel them towards IHL qualification or the relegation play-offs. Bottom-placed Weston, also have a double weekend facing Corinthians on Saturday before they meet Rovers.
FIXTURES: Saturday: Leinster Senior League: Division one: Glenanne v UCD, 1.30 St Mark's; Monkstown v Pembroke, Rathdown TBC; Fingal v YMCA ALSAA, 1.30; Corinthian v Weston, Whitechurch Park, 1pm; Railway Union v TRR, Park Avenue 3.00. Sunday: Leinster Senior League: Division One: TRR v Weston, Grange Road TBC. Leinster Senior Cup: Semi-final: Glenanne v Corinthians, Grange Road, 4.15.
