League finals set for Hillsborough

MEN'S HOCKEY:ANOTHER NATIONAL title and another visit to Europe next season is up for grabs as Glenanne, Banbridge, Pembroke and Lisnagarvey meet in the Irish Hockey League (IHL) semi-finals tomorrow with the final scheduled for the same venue in Hillsborough on Sunday.

This week, the Leinster branch has been informed of interest from two Munster teams, Harlequins and Cork C of I, to take part in the Leinster competition next year.

The idea is to have 12 teams in the league, and although both would remain members of the Munster branch they would play in Leinster in the hope of raising the standard of play overall.

All matches would take place at weekends and no overnight stays would be required. The top six clubs in Leinster and Ulster would take part in the IHL.

Glenanne and Pembroke were beaten in last week’s Euro Hockey League, Glenanne 2-0 by Dutch side HGC and Pembroke 11-0 by Spain’s Club de Campo, for whom their former captain Ronan Gormley now plays.

Glenanne have had success in Europe before and the Leinster champions will be confident of giving Banbridge a decent rattle. European competition, as difficult as it is against the Dutch, Spanish, Belgian and German clubs, is the real reward this weekend.

The annual ESB Electric Irish Hockey Awards will take place in the Burlington hotel on May 21st. There are four nominations for the Senior Club Player of the Year: Mark Black (Cork Harlequins), Fran Lee (Monkstown), Shane O’Donoghue (Glenanne) and Mark Raphael (Lisnagarvey).

O’Donoghue is also among the four nominated for the Under-18 award, while Graham Shaw is a nominee for the Coach of the Year Award.

A hat-trick from Tim Hill kept UCD in senior hockey when they defeated Trinity 3-2 midweek in the promotion\relegation play-off.

IRISH HOCKEY LEAGUE

Finals – Saturday: Glenanne v Banbridge 3pm, Lisnagarvey; Pembroke v Lisnagarvey, 5pm, Lisnagarvey. Sunday: Final 4pm.