MEN'S HOCKEY/Interprovincial Championship: Munster will not be taking part in the second phase of the Interprovincial tournament, scheduled for November 22nd, and if the coaching problem in the province continues past Christmas, they may not take part in any of the interprovincial matches this season.

The team had already pulled out of this weekend's match with Ulster at Belfield and have now withdrawn from their fixture against Leinster at Grange Road next month.

The Munster Branch will review the situation this side of the New Year, but their involvement in the series is contingent on a top-class coach being appointed to the side, which largely comprises senior and under-21 internationals.

Munster have approached individuals from outside the province but have not yet found anyone who has been involved in high-level coaching.

The subtext to the issue, however, is possibly more important, and here Munster are questioning whether the Interprovincial series serves any purpose these days and, given their cost, whether the money should be spent in a different manner.

Tradition aside, the tournament was once the focal point for the international coach and selectors and a one-off chance to see players compete against each other at the top level.

This is no longer seen as the case. The series of matches continues as a competitive event in itself, but some players and management (Munster are not alone in their observations) now doubt its relevance.

"Long term, we've to be convinced," said Munster Branch president Pat Dawson. "Financially we have to question every penny we spend. The tradition is nice, but we've got to ask ourselves what the players get out of it."

An announcement on the November series of matches was to be made this weekend, a blank one for clubs, after an Irish Hockey Association council meeting tomorrow. But Munster's decision has pre-empted that, while Leinster have cancelled all of their pitch bookings prior to Christmas.

So it seems clear there will be no matches played this year, as Munster's decision has effectively made the preliminary stages of the tournament redundant and the whole event now open to wholesale review.