It's Demanding on the universities, after their Mauritius Cup activities, to motor straight into the first round of the Nissan-sponsored Irish Senior Cup tomorrow. UCD, who meet Eastern Health at Rathgar, seem to have the best chance of survival while Queen's at least have a day's leisure in Dublin before tackling Suttonians. Trinity, at home to North Down, need to sharpen up on their midweek performances.

DCU, making their debut, face a tough assignment against NICS at Stormont. UCC, having been in transit at Glasnevin, also move north to tackle South Antrim at Jordanstown.

In this initial round involving only second-division sides, mature Portrane are hosts to the strongest-looking team, Antrim, whose South African player-coach Alan Kelly is achieving as successful a strike rate as several of his fellow Commonwealth players in Dublin circles.

It will be interesting to see what impact overseas figures will have on tomorrow's Leinster first-division matches. Corinthians's Australian quartet, having had to be satisfied with a scoreless joust with Three Rock Rovers at Whitechurch Park last Saturday, may find Avoca more incisive on the counter-thrust. Three Rock probably feel they can break down the Monkstown defence at Rathdown, yet Greg Heger can prompt a lively response from his attackers while the sharp finishing of Graham Berry for Railway Union may be of concern for Pembroke Wanderers at Serpentine Avenue.