Men gearing up for exhausting qualifying test

HOCKEY:With just a week to go before Ireland start their Olympic men's qualifying campaign against France in Auckland, the squad have stepped up their preparations, training twice a day under the guidance of Dave Passmore and setting up practice matches against China in Australia.

An intensive campaign awaits them in the qualifier. After the French game (February 2nd), they play hosts New Zealand (February 3rd), Trinidad and Tobago (February 5th), the US (February 6th) and Argentina (February 9th), before the play-off places - only the winning team goes to the Olympic Games.

Back on the club front, Pembroke Wanderers should maintain their perfect record in the league when they play second-from-bottom UCD, with the pressure on Glenanne and Three Rock Rovers, in second and third, to keep up the chase.

Glenanne are at home to Monkstown on Sunday, the visitors awaiting news on goalkeeper David Fitzgerald's availability after he broke a finger, while Three Rock host Kilkenny at Grange Road tomorrow.

Fingal, buoyed by their 4-3 defeat of Monkstown in the Mills Cup last weekend, are away to bottom cub Bray, with Corinthian and YMCA, in sixth and seventh, meeting at Whitechurch.

FIXTURES

Tomorrow - Leinster League - Division One: Pembroke Wanderers v UCD, Serpentine Avenue, 4.30; Corinthian v YMCA, Whitechurch, 1.0; Three Rock Rovers v Kilkenny, Grange Road, 1.0; Bray v Fingal, Bray, 1.30. Division Two: Avoca v Weston, Newpark, 1.0; Naas v Suttonians, Naas, 1.45; Clontarf v Navan, Mount Temple, 2.0; PSBPP v Skerries, RCSI, 2.0; Railway Union v Trinity, Park Avenue, 3.0.

Tomorrow - Irish Junior Cup - Third round: Banbridge II v Campbellians, Banbridge, 2.0; Galway v Railway Union II, Dangan, 2.0; Cookstown II v Glenanne II, Coolnafranky, 2.30; Monkstown II v North Down II, Rathdown, 1.30; Pembroke Wanderers II v Cork Church of Ireland II, Serpentine Avenue, 1.0; Belfast Harlequins II v Armagh, Deramore, 2.30.

Sunday - Leinster League - Division One: Glenanne v Monkstown, Tallaght, 3.0. Mills Cup - Round Two: Naas v UCD, Belfield, TBA.