THE usual hearty throng is expected to attend Dublin hockey's principal charity fixture at Serpentine Avenue on St Stephen's Day (2.15) when Pembroke Wanderers tackle Glenanne in the Neville Cup final. Pembroke will miss Francis de Rosa, who is having a broken nose attended to before joining the Ireland training squad.

As a curtain raiser, a women's match has been arranged between a Pembroke XI and a President's Leinster under 21 selection. This will be reminiscent of the games a decade ago when Uncle Jim's Bunnies were the attraction.

Meanwhile a 16 player Irish under 18 girls squad has been selected to travel to Barcelona on January 3rd for an international tournament. Munster, who won the recent interprovincial championship, have four representatives in the squad compared to Ulster's six. Galway's Orla Canavan is the only Connacht player included in the panel.