IHA facing testing time

MENS HOCKEY: After what proved to be a largely disheartening 12 months for Irish teams at most levels, with a chief executive and senior men's coach still to be appointed, a lack of finance threatening the existence of meaningful international programmes for the underage teams and ever loudening demands for an All-Ireland league, the Irish Hockey Association (IHA) is facing, to put it mildly, a testing few months.

On Sunday the association will hold a seminar with two topics for discussion: "Our objectives in international participation and at what level?", and "The implications of the international programme on domestic competition".

There will be, it can be assumed, some lively debate on the future of the under-16, -18 and -21 set-ups, all of whose programmes have been slimmed down due to financial restrictions, not helped by a chronic lack of sponsorship.

If the funds aren't there, well, the funds aren't there, but the cutbacks in the youth programmes have, inevitably, drawn accusations of short-sightedness, particularly in light of the evident talent below senior level, most spectacularly demonstrated in Rotterdam not so long ago when the under-18s triumphed at the European finals.

The IHA are interviewing candidates for both the senior coach and chief executive's positions. Invariably a surprise candidate prevails in these contests, but if Paddy Power were to listen to the tittle-tattle he might just be inclined to shorten the odds on Cork Harlequins' Dave Passmore taking one of the positions.

But, whoever is appointed chief executive, he or she will be expected to have considerably more success in attracting sponsorship than the IHA have so far managed.

On the club front, Pembroke open the defence of their Leinster title at home to Monkstown tomorrow, strengthened by the addition of Irish international John Jermyn (from Church of Ireland) to their squad, although Justin Sherriff, like Stephen Butler, will remain with Royal Dragons this season.

LEINSTER LEAGUE - Division One: YMCA v Corinthians, Claremont Road, 12.30; Glenanne v Railway Union, Tallaght, 2.30; Pembroke Wanderers v Monkstown, Serpentine Avenue, 2.0; Clontarf v Aer Lingus, Mount Temple, 2.15. Division Two: Bray v Weston, Loreto Bray, 1.30; Naas v Portrane, Caragh Road, 12.0; St Brendan's v St James' Gate, DCU, 1.0; Skerries v Suttonians, RCSI, 12.30.