The tie was initially pushed back due to the intervarsities earlier this month, a situation which had the upshot of leaving both sides in a position to seriously strengthen their push for a playoff place.

The Booterstown hosts have saved their best form for the showpiece competition this term having already fallen by the wayside in the Senior Cup while three losses in the Leinster league see them well off the pace.

Goalscoring issues pervaded both campaigns but in the IHL they have had a carefree spirit, dismissing Armagh and Old Alex on 3-0 scorelines. As such, they lead the way by virtue of a bonus point ahead of UCD – along with Catholic Institute and Pegasus – on seven points.

Mary Logue, against the club she coached to the Senior Cup in 2009, will be looking to learn from the experience of nine days ago when the students nabbed a goal in each half to run up a 2-0 win.

For particular video analysis will be the corner moves as Hermes earned eight set pieces but could not finish. Sinead McCarthy should be allowed more pitch time, her recuperation limiting her to 30 minutes against TRL last Saturday, while Audrey O’Flynn is also back in the fray.

Again, taming the former Hermes’ stars Anna O’Flanagan and Chloe Watkins is key with the students’ confidence level sky-high after an amazing run of results.

In the other IHL tie to played this weekend, Railway Union will be without Cecelia and Isobel Joyce as they make their way back from Bangladesh where they helped the Irish women’s cricket team maintain one-day international status.

UCC graduate Julia O’Halloran will seek to plot the demise of some old friends as she welcomes her former colleagues to Park Avenue. O’Halloran, 24, was a mainstay of the College side during something of a golden period from 2007-2010, but now plies her trade with Mick McKinnon’s troops in Dublin.

Having recently withdrawn from the national setup, O’Halloran is now free to express herself more often at club level, and will be hoping she can guide her side to a repeat of Railway’s 3-0 win at the Mardyke in 2009, when she was on the losing side. While former team-mates Ali O’Regan and Ali O’Connor are still in situ at UCC, the majority of the side has a youthful look and is on a steep learning curve at this level.

With Loreto storming clear in Pool B, Railway will target a bonus point to put some daylight between themselves and Ballymoney in second place.

Domestically, Loreto and Old Alex is the marquee tie with the pair jostling for second place in the division behind UCD. It is a big moment for Alex having run up four successive wins against sides from the bottom half of the division without conceding a single goal. And they can make another big statement – to go with the Senior Cup win over Hermes – against a Loreto side for whom Katie Evans has finished up her short tenure in Dublin.

Nikki Symmons remains out but Loreto have coped reasonably well in her absence, winning each game to date, showing the strength in depth.

Trinity play Corinthian in a game which could lift the students into a share of fifth place with Hermes ahead of a game between the sides on December 3, having managed to garner seven points despite scoring just two goals to date.

For Pembroke and Glenanne, victory for either will push them to a relatively safe position at this point in the season. Pembroke fronted up well against Alex last week with Lizzie de Araugo leading their attacking options while Glenanne await the return of their cricket internationals.

Elsewhere, Pegasus received a big boost as Ireland was once again handed the hosting of a major tournament. The IHL and Senior Cup champions will host the EuroHockey Club Champions Trophy – the second tier of women’s club hockey on the continent – over the Easter weekend.

They have been drawn in a pool with Belgium’s La Gantoise, Russia’s Metrostroy St Petersburg and Lithuanian Gintra Strekte Universitas while the other group has Belarussian, Scottish, Ukranian and Italian teams.

Railway hosted the competition last term in Dublin while Galway brought European club indoor to the country. With a men’s Olympic qualifier soon to follow this summer’s Champions Challenge I, it continues a recent run of high quality tournaments coming to these shores.

It could also be the catalyst to see Ireland earn a place in the recently rejigged women’s Club Champion’s Cup for a first time. Railway and Loreto’s performances last spring have seen Ireland move up to ninth in the standings, just half a ranking point behind Russia who occupy eighth – the lowest place to be included in the top competition.

Ten Leinster sides, meanwhile, take on the Irish Hockey Trophy first round with North Kildare the highest ranked from the province following an excellent start to women’s division two. They host Mourne side Kilkeel at The Maws.

ESB Electric Ireland Irish Hockey League Round 3 (Saturday): Hermes v UCD, 3pm, Booterstown; Railway Union v UCC, 5pm, Park Avenue

Leinster Women’s Division One
Saturday: Old Alexandra v Loreto, 3pm, Milltown; Trinity v Corinthian, 4.30pm, Milltown; Pembroke v Glenanne, 5pm, Serpentine Ave
Division Two: Pembroke v UCD, 11am, Serpentine Ave; Old Alexandra v Railway Union, 1.15pm, Milltown
Sunday: Loreto v Hermes, 2.30pm, Beaufort

EuroHockey Club Champions Trophy
Pool A: HC Victorya Smolevichi (BLR), Grove Menzieshill (SCO), MSC Sumchanka (UKR), HF Libertas San Saba (ITA)
Pool B: ARA La Gantoise (BEL), Pegasus (IRL), HC Metrostroy St Petersburg (RUS), Gintra Strekte Universitas (LTU)

ESB Electric Ireland Irish Hockey Trophy, round two: Weston v Dromore, 3pm, Griffeen Valley Park; Portadown v Genesis, 2.30pm, Edenvilla Park; Waterford v Naas, 2.30pm, Newtown School; Our Ladys v Greenfields, 2pm, Templeogue; North Kildare v Kilkeel, 2.30pm, The Maws; Bandon v Cork C of I, 12pm, Bandon GS; Suttonians v Wexford, 2pm, Sutton Park; Cookstown v Galway, 1pm, Coolnafranky; Ashton v Knock, Knock withdrawn – Ashton receive w/o; North Down v NICS, 2.30pm, Comber LC; Victorians v Greenisland, 4pm, Queens; Bray v Clontarf, 1.15pm, Loreto Bray; YMCA v UL, 2.30pm, Claremont Road; Ballymena v Newbridge, 2.30pm, Ballymena; Omagh v Muckross, 4pm, Campsie; Fermoy v Larne, 12.30pm, Loreto Fermoy)

It was quite the turnaround for the northern university who lost out 1-0 in the intervarsities to Trinity. It is the sole second round tie to take place in Leinster as Portrane, Suttonians, Weston and division two table-toppers Avoca are sent to different corners of the country.

Avoca’s looks the most winnable trip off the back of their early season form as they travel to the seaside to play Bangor, recently relegated and struggling in Senior One without a win to their name.

Suttonians make the journey to Donegal to play Raphoe, never an easy place to travel, having pushed Monkstown close in recent times, while Portrane go to Limerick to face Catholic Institute.

Portadown is Weston’s task, a really tough tie following an impressive start to the campaign. UCC finally received a home tie as they were paired with Antrim while holders South Antrim play an Ulster derby against Campbellians.

It was one of four competitions drawn at the IHA offices on Monday. On the women’s side of the competition, Bray face Clontarf in an all-division three clash.

North Kildare are currently Leinster’s second highest ranked side in this competition and look a decent bet against Ulster Senior Two outfit Kilkeel on home turf.

Newbridge’s impressive start in division two sees them bring form into a trip to face Ballymena while YMCA debut in the competition against Munster division one side UL who recently shocked Cork Harlequins for a famous win.

2011 Challenge finalists Kilkenny have been paired with Saintfield while St James’ Gate’s reward for ousting Portrush – Dave Smith on the mark – sets them against PSNI at the Iveagh Grounds in the final eight.

Two Leinster sides contest the quarter-finals of the women’s Challenge, too, with Botanic welcoming Cashel New Inn for the first time in their history. Monkstown, though, continue to pick up tough draws, travelling to Parkview who are going reasonably well in Senior Three.

Men’s Irish Hockey Trophy, round two (November 26): Raphoe v Suttonians; Cliftonville v Armagh; Portadown v Weston; South Antrim v Campbellians; Bangor v Avoca; Rathgar Chiefs v Queens University; UCC v Antrim; Catholic Institute v Portrane

ESB Electric Ireland Irish Hockey Trophy, second round (November 26): Weston v Dromore; Portadown v Genesis; Waterford v Naas; Our Lady’s v Greenfields; North Kildare v Kilkeel, Bandon v Cork Church of Ireland; Suttonians v Wexford; Cookstown v Galway; Ashton v Knock; North Down v NICS; Victorians v Greenisland; Bray v Clontarf; YMCA v UL; Ballymena v Newbridge; Omagh v Muckross; Fermoy v Larne

Men’s Irish Hockey Challenge, Round 2 draw (November 19): Ballynahinch v Larne; Kilkenny v Saintfield; St James Gate v PSNI; Limerick v Omagh

Women’s Irish Hockey Challenge, quarter-final draw (November 19): Botanic v Cashel New Inn; Dungarvan v Clonmel; Enniscorthy v Kilkenny; Parkview v Monkstown

Some big guns will fall by the wayside in the men’s IJC as Leinster sides – after a harrowing 2010/11 season – face tough trips up north. 2010 winners travel to Annadale to face the current Ulster Junior One leaders while Pembroke go to Shawsbrige on December 3 to play Instonians in another high quality encounter.

Glenanne and YMCA have been among the more impressive sides domestically thus far and so they serve up the most eagerly awaited tie in Dublin while Fingal make a short hop to Suttonians. Lisnagarvey enter the competition at home against Belfast Harlequins while last season’s semi-finalists Three Rock are on the road for a sixth successive game in this competition, drawn at South Antrim.

On the women’s side, Railway are through to the second round without having to lift a stick in earnest as one of four teams to get a bye – potential threat UCD are another, along with Ballymoney and Galway. Perhaps the tie of the round pits the Ulster Elks against Randalstown in a repeat of their 3-3 draw two weekends ago while Old Alex’s hosting of Catholic Institute is another to vye for that mantle.

Dublin Uni are the only side to enter the men’s Irish Hockey Trophy at the first round stage as they face Queens just a couple of weeks after the intervarsities. Avoca, Portrane, Suttonians, Weston and Rathgar lie in wait in round two.

On the women’s side, Rathgar travel to Ashton in their first national competition since renaming from Diocesan. Avoca host Bandon in the other round one game as Bray, Clontarf, Genesis, Naas, Newbridge, North Kildare, Our Ladys, Suttonians, Weston and YMCA – in their first time at this level of competition following two successful Irish Hockey Challenge runs.

It leaves Monkstown and Botanic as Leinster’s main contenders in the women’s IHC but they will aim to avoid Dungarvan away. The Co Waterford club ran to the final with a series of home successes and are back on home territory again this year, facing NUIG.

The Men’s Challenge has handed finalists Kilkenny a route into the second round via the bye option while winners Portrane have moved into the Trophy.

Men’s Irish Junior Cup draw: Suttonians v Fingal; Annadale v Monkstown; Newry v Clontarf; Instonians v Pembroke Wanderers; Glenanne v YMCA; Bangor v NICS; Dublin Uni v Corinthian; South Antrim v Three Rock Rovers; Cookstown v North Down; Cork C of I v Mossley; Kilkeel v UCC; Lisnagarvey v Belfast HQ; UCD v Banbridge; Bandon v Cork Harlequins; Raphoe v Railway Union
Bye: Antrim

Women’s Irish Junior Cup: Old Alex v Catholic Institute; Ashton v Dublin University; Loreto v Portadown; Lisnagarvey v Pembroke W; Queens v Hermes; Genesis v Dromore; Ulster Elks v Randalstown; Armagh v Pegasus; Corinthian v UCC; Bandon v Belfast Harlequins; Cork C of I v Lurgan; Glenanne v Cork Harlequins
Byes: UCD; Ballymoney; Galway, Railway Union

Men’s Irish Hockey Trophy: Raphoe v Newry; Queens University v Dublin Uni…
Byes: Antrim, Armagh, Avoca; Bangor; Campbellians; Catholic Inst; Cliftonville; Portadown; Portrane; Rathgar Chiefs; South Antrim; Suttonians; UCC; Weston

Women’s Irish Hockey Challenge: Ashton v Rathgar; Avoca v Bandon
Byes: Bray; Clontarf; Cookstown; Cork C of I; Dromore; Fermoy; Galway; Genesis; Greenfields; Greenisland; Kilkeel; Knock; Larne; Naas; Newbridge; NICS; North Down; North Kildare; Omagh; Our Ladys; Portadown; Suttonians; UL; Victorians; Waterford; Weston; Wexford; YMCA

Men’s Irish Hockey Challenge: Galway v Naas; St James Gate v Portrush; Ballymena v Larne; Saintfield v North Kildare; Omagh v Parkview
Byes: Limerick, Kilkenny, PSNI

Women’s Irish Hockey Challenge: Monkstown v Gorey; Dungarvan v NUIG; Cork Wanderers v Clonmel; Botanic v Wexford; Tipperary v Enniscorthy
Byes: Cashel New Inn; Parkview, Kilkenny

The site has come a long way since its early beginnings. In the past year, the switch to a website format and the development of the site’s excellent photographic arm, culminating in the Irish Hockey Photographers’ dedicated website, were among the projects undertaken.

During the season, the addition of more video elements and our first ever ‘livestream’ – the vast majority with thanks to Tristan Seaton-Stedham – has been a huge advance.

The first Hook Awards’ night – primarily a fundraiser for Glenanne’s EHL trip at Easter – will hopefully become a regular fixture in the local hockey calendar.

Full league tables, updated on Sunday morning’s based on club submissions were integrated mid-season and the Stats Centre will hopefully be tidied up and improved in the coming months.

For the 2011/12 season, using The Hook’s twitter page, the intention is to be ramp up this service and be able to collate virtually all of the divisional results in a simple, free fashion within minutes of game’s completion and, thus provide the earliest possible league table updates.

During the season, the Hook has endeavoured to travel to as many games as possible, taking in trips to Munster, Ulster, the Netherlands and France to cover as many aspects of our sport to the highest standard.

More details will follow on this in due course but to develop these elements and maintain standards, the site does require a personal financial outlay which is primarily attempted to be covered from those who have donated to the site; 100pc of these funds go back into the Hook’s development.

Should you wish to help the coverage and promotion of Leinster and Irish hockey, feel free to contribute to the site via the ‘Donation’ button on the left-hand side of this page (or follow this link).

Finally, thank you all for taking the time to read, contribute and comment to The Hook. Website hits have increased more close to three-fold this season, an indicator that the Hook’s efforts are being appreciated in some form.

Such indicators, along with the feedback received around the grounds week-in, week-out, make the efforts which go into the site much easier to manage.

All the best for the rest of the summer and I look forward to seeing some of you pitch-side as the Irish men and women pursue their Olympic dream, building toward the European Championships in August.

Stephen Findlater

Carlsberg, Ed Sports and Gilmour Sports also came on board to support the event with proceeds from the event going to support Glenanne’s EHL bid over the Easter weekend.

The awards themselves took on a two-part process with clubs asked to nominate players, coaches and umpires from within their own club and from others to produce the main shortlist.

From those shortlists, the public vote drew well over 4,000 responses and was the most viewed story on the site since moving to the new format at the start of the season. Winners were determined solely on this basis.

Adrian Boehm received the largest percentage of the vote in any category as he took the Contributor of the Year title with a massive 41.72% of the vote for his sterling photographic work that he provides each week.

Indeed, his volume and quality of photos over the last weekend can be seen on the Irish Hockey Photographers website, covering all four of the national finals in Belfield to the highest standard.

Gillian McAuliffe, the woman responsible for the site’s overhaul last summer, took second place in this category just ahead of photographer Deryck Vincent.

The umpire of the year award was the closest category but was eventually taken down by Olympic whistle-blower Carol Metchette (left), coming in just ahead of Fiona Davitt and Kieran Bolger.

Metchette continues to impress in both the men’s and women’s division one games while also showing the tenacity in the past week in the line of duty, umpiring in key games this week despite picking up a shiner sustained in the first meeting of Loreto and Old Alex.

A feature of the umpire’s vote was the spread of nominations in the “Other” option with UDP umpires Karl Chapple and Ali Keogh along with Kris Cholewa picking up a number of votes.

Scott Beattie took the Coach of the Year following a bumper debut year with Sutton Park, winning the northside school’s first Senior title when they claimed the Senior Trophy in dramatic fashion while also reaching the Minor Cup final.

Will Powderly was among the “other” nominations, receiving a high proportion of the public vote while Richard Mason and Didi Cole’s dual-work at Monkstown and Gareth Borland’s role as Leinster U-16 boss and Clontarf player-coach also drew plenty of praise beyond the initial nominees.

Onto the player awards and Dannielle Cummins, Avoca’s first team goalkeeper took the Junior Women’s title just ahead of YMCA taliswoman Tara Powderly.

And another goalkeeper took the Junior Men’s gong, Rathgar Chiefs’ Dan Gribben certainly his side’s most consistent performer until he broke his hand recently in the club’s maiden season.

Audrey McCormack tallied the most votes of any of the categories as the Glenanne woman took home the Senior Women’s Player of the Year. The midfielder continues to be a powerhouse in midfield and the engine which drives the Glens all-action approach.

Finally, Gareth Watkins (below, left) added another personal achievement to 2010 Irish Hockey Club Player of the Year crown, as he topped the Senior Men’s Player of the Year tally ahead of Glenanne’s Joe Brennan.

A big thanks again to Gary Shaw and his crew for putting together the night and to all the people who attended on the night, helped with nominations and voted for the various awards.

The Hook exists for and because of the people that take part in our game at all levels week in and week out and so, to receive the support for this venture and, indeed, the site in general is pretty overwhelming and suggests a need is being fulfilled.

These awards honour just some of the people that make the sport a source of enjoyment for people to be involved in and want to prosper, capturing some of the spirit of the game. Long may it continue.

*** The top three in each category is below with the percentage of the final vote in brackets while also mentioned are some of the people who received sizeable votes in the “other” section and are worthy of mention for their efforts in the past season.

Contributor of the Year (Total votes: 676)
1. Adrian Boehm (41.72%)
2. Gillian McAuliffe (18.64%)
3. Deryck Vincent (18.49%)
Honorable mentions outside of the nominees: Emer Keogh – photographic contributions

Umpire of the Year (615)
1. Carol Metchette (18.21%)
2. Fiona Davitt (14.47%)
3. Kieran Bolger (12.85%)
Honorable mentions: Kris Cholewa, Karl Chapple, Ali Keogh

Coach of the Year (904)
1. Scott Beattie, Sutton Park (22.57%)
2. Graham Shaw, Loreto/Glenanne (14.82%)
3. Mick McKinnon, Railway ladies (10.73%)
Honorable mentions: Will Powderly (YMCA ladies), Richard Mason/Didi Cole (Monkstown); Gareth Borland (Leinster U-16/Clontarf); Mary Logue (Hermes); Brendon Carolan (Pembroke)

Junior Women’s Player of the Year (487)
1. Danielle Cummins, Avoca (28.13%)
2. Tara Powderly, YMCA (23.82%)
3. Sarah Lovett, Monkstown (18.69%)
Honorable mentions: Emma Kilbride (Our Lady’s); Fiona Walshe (Swords); Courtney Watkins (Monkstown)

Junior Men’s Player of the Year (454)
1. Dan Gribben, Rathgar Chiefs (31.5%)
2. Martin Naughton, Avoca (21.37%)
3. Stephen Cairns, Clontarf (16.08%)
Honorable mentions: Harry Spain (Suttonians), Tom Noonan (Clontarf), Paul Kennedy (St James’ Gate)

Senior Women’s Player of the Year (977)
1. Audrey McCormack, Glenanne (22.01%)
2. Chloe Watkins, UCD (14.23%)
3. Kate Dillon, Railway Union (13.61%)
Honorable mentions: Maebh Horan (Trinity), Jeamie Deacon (Railway Union), Sinead Walsh (Railway Union), Nikki Symmons (Loreto), Sinead Dooley (Railway Union)

Senior Men’s Player of the Year (710)
1. Gareth Watkins, Monkstown (21.55%)
2. Joe Brennan, Glenanne (15.07%)
3. Alan Blennerhassett, Corinthian (12.25%)
Honorable mentions: Ali Haughton (TRR); Andrew Walker (YMCA); Brian Groves (Monkstown); Shane O’Donoghue (Glenanne); Andrew Sutton (Corinthian); Fran Lee (Monkstown)

The poll is also still open for the Hook’s Contributor of the Year with the nominees for Junior Player of the Year (those operating for first teams outside of men’s and women’s division one) set to go live later today.

Nominees for these awards have come about from proposals in the various categories, seeking to honour the broad spectrum of Leinster hockey.

Voting will be open up until March 30 with the winners being announced at The Hook’s Awards Night and end of season party – held in conjunction with Glenanne SC – on April 2 in Kobra on Leeson Street.

To secure your ticket for the event, contact Gary Shaw on 087 986 1942 or email shawsie14@gmail.com. Tickets costs €10 and will also include free entry into NV nightclub while there will be finger-food and spot prizes on the night.

Here are the five votes online thus far:

Pembroke edged the first half’s stats – winning the corner count four to two – and had the majority of possession but found themselves a goal behind.

Mark Loughrey had gone close while Alex Bisgood kept out the Pembroke set-pieces before Luke Madeley’s drag-flick bounced up and Ross Shaw sharply rebounded mid-air.

And Madeley made it 2-0 three minutes into the second half, slaloming between a couple of players before flicking into the net from the middle of the circle.

Pembroke did clip the post soon after before they got back into the tie through Jack Ryan and his work down the right-wing.

Their fightback was cut short by a sin-binning, however, and Rovers started to create the clearer chances. Three corners went unconverted while Johnny Dalrymple’s well-executed was rightly called back, on consultation, for an earlier foot.

Another yellow card suspension did leave them open at the back and Madeley’s swept pass from the 25 picked out James O’Donovan lurking on the back post. He got into a little tangle but got nudged the ball behind his back for a vital goal four minutes from time.

David Kane pulled one back in the dying moments from a corner but Rovers held out , handing Madeley and Jonathon Roberts their second titles in two days – both part of Wesley’s senior cup school’s winning team.

On the girl’s side, the international quality of Old Alex came to bear in the Jacqui Potter U-16 final as their quintet of internationals showed their class in a 5-1 win over a Muckross side who battled hard throughout.

Forward stars Hannah McDermott and Anna Roopnarinesingh combined brilliantly for the first, the former banging in an excellent shot from the edge to start the scoring.

They led 2-0 at the break and tacked on another three after it but Muckross did get one back, drawing a huge cheer from a sizeable contingent from the Donnybrook-based club.

In the Plate, Hermes’ precision at corner time laid the base for a 5-0 win over Three Rock Ladies, finishing off two in the first half to lay the platform. It was not all one-way traffic, though, as Hermes keeper Rhona Conway-Kenny made her share of saves in an end-to-end tie.

U-16 Results:
Benny Atkinson Cup: TRR 3 (R Shaw, L Madeley, J O’Donovan) Pembroke 2 (J Ryan, D Kane)
Jacqui Potter U-16 Cup: Old Alex 5 Muckross 1
Jacqui Potter U-16 Plate: Hermes 5 TRL 0

U-16 Final panels
TRR: A Bisgood, L Madeley, E Garland, E Buttanshaw, D Williams, D Kelly, M Aguirre, J Roberts (capt), H Morris, J McCormack, L Hegner, J Dalrymple, J O’Donovan, S Dagg, R McGuinness, R Shaw
Pembroke: H Lavery, M Bergin, G Dagg, A Service, C Donnelly, J Ryan, M Loughrey, E Foy, C Hynes, I Styles, J Walsh, F Powell, C McGreer, T Duffy, F Fennell, D Kane, V Ivieto

Old Alex: C Crampton, R Gray, V Winn, M O’Donnell, J Beatty, A Cowhey (capt), A Gleeson, J McGirr, A Roopnarinesingh, H McDermott, E Beirne, E McCollum, L McPhillips, M Carroll, R Lenehan, E Telford
Muckross: K Miller, A Shanahan, D Ronan, A Scott (capt), R Noble, C Murphy, J Murphy, R Dillon, P Cotter, R Dooley-O’Carroll, L Hanlon, M Blake, J Mullin, F Redmond, E D’Arcy, I Whelan

Hermes: R Conway-Kenny, S-A Appleby, J Freeley, M Geary, C Hennessy, M McCarthy, H McErlean, J O’Brien, C O’Connor, D O’Leary, S Twomey, V Walsh, R English, J Volpert, S Patton
TRL: A Ormsby, S Haughton, D Quinn, C Spain, A Walsh, B Biggam, L Gilmore, H Brooks, H Reynolds, S Cantwell, M Holden, C Shannon, L O’Leary, J Dawson, J Keogh

The men’s Mills Cup fixture has added poignancy for Glenanne following the passing of Roly O’Donoghue earlier this week, their captain when the club won their first Mills Cup on St Patrick’s Day in 1996 with victory over YMCA.

It was the first major trophy the club had won en route to becoming one of the outstanding sides in the country – a place at the top table which they have yet to vacate.

And they are coming into form at the right time – Stephen Brownlow and Eddie O’Malley vying for the role of chief-goalscorer – with Leinster league glory and IHL progression in their own hands.

Strangely, it is the first piece of silverware on offer this term and is one that the Glens have an uncanny knack of winning.

In Monkstown, they face a side against whom ties invariably produce goals galore especially with a new found fondness for the overhead.

Richard Sykes and David Cole’s introduction to the first team has offered a new option to go long – particularly evident in recent matches against Pembroke – to utilise the pace of Gareth Watkins and Kyle Good.

The Town are hoping this is the day they can breakthrough after a number of final appearances for this incarnation of the team.

Andrew Ward comes back into the panel to play up front, making the trip home from Germany where he is currently on Erasmus.

On the women’s side, Railway Union will aim to complete their set of major titles, the Jacqui Potter eluding them most recently in 2009 when Hermes had their number after normal time ended scoreless.

Opponents UCD have won the title more recently – indeed Railway were the victims of a 2-1 defeat in the 2006 decider.

Included in their number that day is current Railway defender Holly Jenkinson but Johnny Harte’s selection in 2011 is very much about their freshmen with three Irish training panelists in the midst.

Chloe Watkins brings a dimension of guile, Brenda Flannery can be utilised in midfield and defence while Niamh Atcheler has been used to good effect as an over-lapping wing-back or as the sweeping rock.

Three U-16 finals will greet early arrivers to the ground with Pembroke and Three Rock Rovers contesting the Benny Atkinson final.

It comes just a day after the Leinster schoolboy’s Senior Cup in which both clubs had representatives on Wesley’s winning side with vital stroke-taker Kirk Shimmins in purple.

Jonathan Roberts and Luke Madeley don Rovers’ jersies but they will miss Leinster U-16 Dylan Shirley who suffered a broken collar bone playing for the club’s first team against Glenanne.

On the girl’s side, Muckross face Old Alex in the Jacqui Potter juvenile final while TRL play Hermes in the first Plate final of the same competition.

** Tickets will be on sale for The Hook Awards/End of Season Party, to be held on April 2 in Kobra on Leeson Street, at the ground throughout the Mills and Jacqui Potter Cup finals. Nominees for the Hook’s Contributor of the Year will be available to vote for on Friday with further votes to follow in due course. Keep an eye on the site for more information.

St Patrick’s Day schedule (all at Grange Road)
Jacqui Potter Cup final: Railway Union vs UCD, 2pm
Mills Cup final: Glenanne vs Monkstown, 4pm
Benny Atkinson Cup final: Three Rock Rovers vs Pembroke, 12pm
Jacqui Potter U-16 Juvenile Cup final: Muckross vs Old Alex, 10am
Jacqui Potter U-16 Juvenile Plate final: TRL vs Hermes, 10.30am, back pitch

It follows the cup win for the same group a year ago while the Whitechurch club remains in contention for the U-14B and U-16A and B league titles as all three are unbeaten this term.

The Jacqui Potter Juvenile Cup, meanwhile, reaches the final stage with Muckross and Old Alex facing off on St Patrick’s Day at 10am as the curtain-raiser for a huge day of hockey.

Old Alex were the first to take up their place, winning 2-0 last Saturday in a rematch from last year’s semi-final against Corinthian – one goal from a corner and one from play was enough.

Railway hosted Muckross early on Sunday morning in advance of their senior ladies Leinster senior cup game. Muckross scored early in the first half and late in the second to secure the win.

The Park Avenue hosts looked dangerous at times and a breakaway goal looked on the cards a couple of times but the Muckross backs kept the danger areas clear without conceding any corners.

The Plate competition will see Hermes and Three Rock contest the final after they emerged from semi-finals ahead of Our Lady’s and Avoca, respectively.

Slip-ups prior to those dates will prove costly and this weekend, with international players back in the equation, will be no different.

Railway’s task is the trickiest on paper, facing UCD with the mental task of adapting from indoor to outdoor after their successful European run.

Sinead Walsh, Alex Speers, Emma Smyth, Jean McDonnell, Nikki Evans and Julia O’Halloran were not involved in that result and come in fresh for the tie.

Leaders Hermes have home advantage against Glenanne as do Loreto for the visit of Trinity to Beaufort.

The latter have a tough run-in with five ties against top half sides to complete their season – two matches against Old Alex to come as well as Hermes, Railway and UCD in the offing.

The Jacqui Potter Cup on Sunday is another chance of promoting their silverware bid but – with internationals unavailable – it’s a repeat of the recent league tie against Railway which the Park Avenue side won 4-1.

Bray go in search of a first win since mid-October needing a couple more points to make absolutely certain of avoiding a second consecutive relegation playoff tie as they go up against Pembroke in Co Wicklow. Corinthian are at Alex, hoping for a first win of the campaign.

In the Junior Cup, five Leinster sides are in quarter-final action as division four high-fliers Trinity – the lowest ranked side remaining – play Ulster Junior One side Belfast Harlequins.

Bray and UCD play an all-division three tie while 2009 finalists Railway and Loreto are the two fancied sides from the capital, meeting at Park Avenue.

In the Irish Hockey Trophy, Three Rock Ladies and North Kildare are the last team standings. The former are on home turf for the second week running following last week’s second half fireworks against Galway.

Their reward is a home tie with Munster’s Bandon, a side who have moved up to fourth in their domestic competition.

North Kildare also face Munster opposition but are on the road, making the trip to Ashton to face another side going well in the top-tier down south.

Finally, the weekend sees the U-16 Jacqui Potter Cup reach the semi-final stage with Corinthian playing Old Alex and Railway hosting Muckross on Sunday morning.

Women’s Leinster Division One, Saturday: Loreto vs Trinity, 12.45pm, Beaufort; Bray vs Pembroke, 1pm, Loreto Bray; Railway Union vs UCD, 1.15pm, Park Avenue; Hermes vs Glenanne, 2.30pm, St Andrew’s; Old Alexandra vs Corinthian, 3pm, Milltown

Women’s Division Two: Old Alexandra vs Hermes, 1.30pm, Milltown; Genesis vs Muckross, 2.30pm, Belfield; Pembroke vs Our Lady’s, 5pm
Sunday: Pembroke vs Muckross, 5pm, Serpentine Avenue

Jacqui Potter Cup, semi-final (Sunday): Railway Union vs Loreto, 1pm, Park Avenue

ESB Irish Trophy quarter-finals, Saturday: Ashton vs North Kildare, 3pm, Ashton School; Dromore vs Portadown, 2.30pm, Ferris Park; Three Rock Ladies vs Bandon, 2.30pm, Grange Road; Lisnagarvey vs Victorians, 2.30pm, Hillsborough

ESB Irish Junior Cup quarter-finals, Saturday: Lisnagarvey vs Pegasus, 1pm, Hillsborough; Trinity vs Belfast Harlequins, 3pm, Santry; Bray vs UCD, 2.30pm, Loreto Bray; Railway Union vs Loreto, 3pm, Park Avenue

U-16 Jacqui Potter Juvenile Cup: Corinthian vs Old Alex, 3pm Saturday, Whitechurch Park; Railway Union vs Muckross, 9.30am Sunday, Park Avenue