Who can stop Pembroke?

There are dozens of intriguing sub-plots to be dissected as the Irish Hockey League’s (IHL) showpiece weekend gets underway tomorrow, but the question of who can stop the Pembroke Wanderers juggernaut is dominating the agenda. Despite having to withstand an eligibility row over South African import Vaughan Erasmus, Craig Fulton’s side have been in irresistible form in recent weeks, annexing three trophies along the way. Having hit five past Annadale en route to the IHL semi-finals, they subsequently repeated the trick against Monkstown to wrest the Leinster league back from Three Rock Rovers, who provide the opposition tomorrow at Grange Road (5pm).

They also won the EuroHockey Club Trophy in between, and last weekend thumped Cookstown 6-0 in the most one-sided Irish Senior Cup final since 1921. Nonetheless, skipper Alan Giles insists they are guarding against complacency. “You can get very complacent, especially if you’re consistently doing well,” he said. “You can sometimes forget that teams can turn you over; you can have bad spells but hopefully we’ll use it as a positive.” By contrast, Rovers have won just one of their last five games, but are effectively defending champions having annexed the Club Championships in the old format last term, and also have the boon of home advantage and some big-game experience in the EHL this term. The winners of the other semi-final between Glenanne and Banbridge (3pm) will have a keener than usual eye on the other side of the draw. In winning the ISC, Pembroke have secured one of Ireland’s two EuroHockey League slots for next season, the other of which goes to the IHL winners. Should they advance to the IHL final, it will mean their opposition are guaranteed the second spot regardless of the result. Glenanne’s veteran Irish international Graham Shaw admits it adds an extra bit of spice to his side’s clash with Bann, Ulster’s sole representatives, but adds that they won’t be satisfied with anything but finishing top of the pile. “We’re not looking ahead to the final,” he insisted. “We’re going out to win (against Bann) and if that gives us the European place then that’s fantastic, (but) we’re still confident enough that we’re going to win the whole thing. We’re not in it to finish in second place.” For their part, Bann are sweating on the fitness of talismanic forward Eugene Magee, who broke a bone in his thumb recently. Meanwhile, Cork Harlequins will look to past glories for inspiration when they get the weekend under way in the first women’s semi-final against Loreto (10.30am).

The Beaufort side – who have arguably adapted best to the auto-pass rule introduced in this competition – came from three down to draw level the last time the sides met in an ISC third round tie in 2007. But an Eimear Cregan golden goal set Quins on their way that day, and the Irish international skipper also had the final word in the 4-1 win over Armagh in March, getting the vital bonus-point that sealed their progression to the last four. 24-goal Karen Bateman has also been in clinical form for Quins, while Loreto will miss the impact of cruciate ligament victim Zara Delany, who highlighted her prowess in front of goal on day one of the competition with a hat-trick inside eight minutes against Belfast Harlequins. Old foes Hermes and Pegasus go toe to toe in the other semi-final (12.30pm), with Pegs defender Arlene Boyles admitting the Belfast giants won’t lack motivation following last year’s semi-final defeat to the Dubliners, plus their shock ISC final hammering at the hands of UCD last Sunday. They got back to winning ways during the week with a 6-1 defeat of Lurgan. UCD won’t be involved in the IHL next season, however. They saw a Rosie Carrigan winner with 25 seconds to go chalked off in their final league game against Hermes on Wednesday night, and the 1-1 draw allowed Old Alex to take the wildcard playoff spot. Alex will now square off against Cork C of I, Greenfields and Belfast Harlequins this weekend, as the quartet fight for a place in next season’s IHL. Quins defender Cliodhna Sargent put city rivalry to one side this week in expressing a hope that C of I can do enough to give Munster a third representative at the tournament, along with Quins and UCC. “I think they have a brilliant chance of getting through, which would be even better for Munster hockey, to have three teams in the IHL,” said the Irish international defender. “It will (allow) more players to be seen by the national coaches as well. UCC were really unlucky last year to have lost out. I think the qualifiers came at the wrong time for them as they were doing exams at that time.” Two IHL places are up for grabs in the men’s wildcard playoff, with Lisnagarvey, Corinthians and Bandon battling it out over three days. ‘Garvey’s Cork native Jason Lynch, who has won two interpro titles for his adopted Ulster this term, will come up against some former Bandon Grammar schoolmates when his side take on the underdogs from west Cork. For more player interviews ahead of the IHL finals weekend, please click here.

Irish Hockey League finals, Grange Road, Dublin Saturday Men’s semi-finals: Glenanne vs Banbridge (3pm); Pembroke Wanderers vs Three Rock Rovers (5pm). Women’s semi-finals: Cork Harlequins vs Loreto (10.30am); Hermes vs Pegasus (12.30pm) Men’s wildcard playoffs: Lisnagarvey vs Corinthian (12pm). Women’s wildcard playoffs: Belfast Harlequins vs Old Alex (2pm); Greenfields vs Cork C of I (4pm). Sunday Men’s final: Three Rock/Pembroke vs Glenanne/Banbridge (3pm). Women’s final: Loreto/Quins vs Hermes/Pegasus (1.30pm). Men’s wildcard playoffs: Bandon vs Lisnagarvey (1.30pm) Women’s wildcard playoffs: Cork C of I vs Old Alex (11.30am); Greenfields vs Belfast Harlequins (3.30pm). Monday Men’s wildcard playoffs: Corinthians vs Bandon (10am). Women’s wildcard playoffs: Cork C of I vs Belfast Harlequins (12pm); Old Alex vs Greenfields (2pm).