WEEKEND HOCKEY:IT'S EARLY days yet in the European Hockey League (EHL), but there was promising news this week with the release of the latest ranking positions (available at www.ehlhockey.tv), updated after the first round of matches, with Ireland moving up a place to sixth, a position, if held, that would be enough to secure two spots in next season's EHL.
The ranking is, though, only provisional, and all will depend on how Pembroke Wanderers and WKS Grunwald Poznan fare in the last 16 when the EHL resumes, as Poland, currently ranked just behind Ireland, are rivals for sixth place. The draw for the last 16 is on November 19th.
Pembroke’s focus for now is on the Leinster League, where they’ve made a flawless start, winning their opening four games and conceding a single goal. Fingal will be the latest opponents to attempt to put a blemish on that record when they visit Serpentine Avenue tomorrow.
Glenanne also have a perfect start to defend when they take on Clontarf at Mount Temple, with the hosts having failed to take a point from their five games.
Three Rock Rovers, who dropped their first points to Glenanne last weekend, meet UCD at Grange Road. The students were runners-up earlier in week at the intervarsity tournament, where they lost to Ulster Elks in the final.
Railway Union will look to bounce back from last week’s 4-0 drubbing by Fingal when they meet Monkstown at Park Avenue, while YMCA should take heart from their display against Pembroke, when they lost by a goal, when they take on third-placed Corinthian at Whitechurch.
FIXTURES
Leinster League: Division One – Tomorrow: Pembroke Wanderers v Fingal, Serpentine Avenue, 2.0; Railway Union v Monkstown, Park Avenue, 2.45; Clontarf v Glenanne, Mount Temple School, 2.15; Three Rock Rovers v UCD, Grange Road 3.0; Corinthian v YMCA, Whitechurch Park, 3.30.
Ulster League: Premier Division – Tomorrow: Bangor v Lisnagarvey, Bangor, 1.0; North Down v Raphoe, Comber, 2.30; Mossley v Kilkeel, The Glade, 1.0; Instonians v Cookstown, Shaw’s Bridge, 1.0.
Munster League: Division One – Tomorrow: Catholic Institute A v Church of Ireland B, Rosbrien, noon; Cork Harlequins B v Church of Ireland, Farmers Cross, 1.0.
