Avoca, with a blend of their Irish Senior and Junior Cup medallists of 1996 and '97, are far from spent in hockey circles. Indeed, judging from the 3-3 draw with Three Rock Rovers in the opening game of the Leinster Senior League at Grange Road on Saturday, they may well wrest the title back from Pembroke Wanderers.

In a remarkably swift-paced match for this stage of the season, only a last-minute equaliser by Charlie Carroll yielded a point for Rovers after Avoca had scored three admirable goals.

Nigel Kingston, with much composure, opened the scoring but Rovers drew level by the interval through Alan Bothwell. Then, although Three Rock went ahead when Garry Ringwood guided home a short corner, Anton Scott replied in virtuoso style to make it 2-2 before combining with Kingston to set up the eager Enda Gallanagh for the visitors' third goal. Rovers rallied, however, for Robin Madeley to deliver a final set-piece drive which was deflected for Carroll to put the looping ball away.

Stephen Breadin from Trinity made a tenacious debut for Three Rock at left-half while Jamie Scott was back to enliven the Avoca attack which will soon be spurred by the return of New Zealander Paul Derham from the Commonwealth Games.

Pembroke's 5-1 win against YMCA at Serpentine Avenue was largely due to more clinical reactions in the circle, notably by Devin Donnelly and Andy Cooke, whereas YM found most of their considerable approach work negated by Nigel Henderson.

Corinthians' 4-0 defeat of understrength Monkstown at Rathdown was also marked by crisp finishing with the Australian pair Colin Stewart and Paul Armitage helping themselves to two goals apiece.