A mixed bag of fixtures this weekend provides a double cup incentive for Three Rock Rovers as well as a significant Leinster league clash between Glenanne and Corinthians: only the winners can retain any hope of catching Pembroke Wanderers.
Rovers, indeed, remain in the running in three knock-out competitions, and they may even rate as favourites to become the fourth Dublin side in a row to carry off the Irish Junior Cup. The seasoned second XI, led by Kevin Empey, will be expected to advance to the quarter-finals at the expense of UCD II at Grange Road where, later, Three Rock are hosts to Monkstown in the Leinster Senior Cup.
Monkstown, the main supply line to the province's youth squads, are due a breakthrough, but it would take a lot of confidence to win tomorrow and it is more likely that Rovers will earn a semi-final against Pembroke.
Three Rock also await the outcome of the Irish Senior Cup replay between Bangor and Railway Union at Ballykillaire. Rovers might prefer their chances at home against Bangor, but Railway will be undaunted by their trip to Ulster and, with Stewart O'Higgins charging out of defence, may yet reach the last-eight stage.
The key league game at Tallaght may go Glenanne's way, for Corinthians' strong points will have been well noted by coach Aidan Kidney. But the margin will certainly be much closer than when Glenanne won 5-1 at Whitechurch Park in October before Corinthians found their rhythm to rise to second spot in the table. Tomorrow, incidentally, one cannot anticipate Pembroke faltering when UCD visit Serpentine Avenue.
Associated with hockey for 50 years, Bob Burns remains among Munster's keenest supporters and in his capacity as chairman of the region's schools committee, enjoyed the youth interprovincial tournament at Kilkenny last weekend (when the Frank Green trophy was retained by the southern province). A long-time administrator and motivator in Cork, and father of Ireland defender Ger and youth international Karl, he played his first game for Bishop Foy's against Newtown in Waterford in 1948 - - "long before the days of astroturf," he admits.
