Three Rock in pole position

Men's HockeyIn Leinster there is a skirmish for the third place on the table and a place in the All-Ireland League play-offs between Three Rock Rovers, Monkstown and Aer Lingus. All three clubs have the potential to secure the spot depending on the results of the others.

Rovers are in the strongest position with 27 points, although they have to face Pembroke this weekend in the final game while Aer Lingus and Monkstown are on 25 points each. Corinthians and Pembroke, the league winners, have already qualified for the play-offs.

At the bottom another dogfight is taking place with more dire consequences.

The three points deducted from YMCA for fielding an illegal player actually puts them well into the danger zone in second-last place, just one place ahead of relegated UCD. If YMCA remain in that position, they will play off against the Division Two second-placed side, Avoca, to try and hold on to their senior status. YMCA play UCD tomorrow and are likely to win and gain three points while the two teams above them, Railway Union and Trinity, face each other. A draw may not be enough for the students, so it's win or bust. Railway are on 20 points, Trinity on 19.

In Munster Cork Harlequins are the league winners and C of I finished in second place. No surprises there. The consequences are that Harlequins face the third-placed team in Leinster in the play-offs while C of I must front up to Annadale.

In Ulster Annadale have topped the table with Instonians second and Lisnagarvey third. The upshot of that is Annadale will play Cork C of I in the first phase of the play-offs (home and away), Instonians will face the second-placed team in Leinster, Corinthians, and Lisnagarvey will play Leinster champions, Pembroke.

The pairings are Leinster third v Munster first; Ulster third v Leinster first; Leinster second v Ulster second; Munster second v Ulster first. The first leg takes place on April 17th and the second leg on April 24th. The final tournament in Belfield to decide which team represents Ireland in Europe next season will be run over the weekend of May 1st-3rd.

Meanwhile, the Leinster Player of the Month for February is Railway Union and Leinster Under-21 Kenny Carroll.

FIXTURES

Saturday: Leinster Senior League - Division One: Aer Lingus v Corinthians, 2.0, AALSA; Monkstown v Glenanne, 2.0, St Andrew's; Pembroke Wanderers v Three Rock Rovers, 2.0, Serpentine Avenue; Railway Union v Dublin University 2.0, St Teresians; UCD v YMCA, 2.0, Belfield.

Division Two: Skerries v St James' Gate, 12.0, Sportslink; Naas v Bray, 12.0, St James' Gate, Iveagh Grounds; St Brendan's v Suttonians, 2.0, DCU; Weston v Portrane, 12.0, Sutton Park; Avoca v Clontarf, 1:30, Rathdown.

Munster Senior League: Catholic Institute v UCC, 12.0, Rosbrien, Limerick; Bandon A v Church of Ireland A, 12.0, Bandon; Harlequin I v Waterford 2.30, Farmers Cross.

Irish Junior Cup final: Annadale II v Lisnagarvey II, Belfield 2.30

Sunday: Munster Senior League: Catholic Institute I v Harlequins II, 1.0, Rosbrien.