One of the main objectives in the Under-21 interprovincial championship at Blaris this weekend will be to provide national junior coach George Blackwood with about three fresh recruits for inclusion in the Irish squad for the Celtic Cup tournament in Cork.
Leinster, who are defending the title after their surprise success in Dublin last season, field three members of the Ireland team which won the European B division trophy in August - Justin Sherriff, Graham Shaw and Garry Ringwood - plus three others who narrowly failed to gain selection - Glenn Bailey, Stephen Butler and Simon Kershaw. They will be expected to retain the laurels, particularly if Bailey can repeat his exploits in goal and his strikers continue to show their potential. Ulster no doubt will resist resourcefully, especially through Clark Kennedy, the captain, and Colin Clarke, as well as having a threatening figure in another Padua survivor, Gary McKee, in midfield. Kevin Lunn and Andrew Carson can also make an impact but overall the squad lacks the maturity of Leinster, who include 11 of the previous panel.
Equally, while Munster will be captained vigorously by John Ahern, with the staunch support of fellow junior internationals Andrew Chambers and Mark Black and the finishing ability of Dave Eakins, there does not appear to be sufficient strength in depth to emulate the triumph of their seniors earlier in the season.
For the Universities selection, led by Marcus Gageby and spearheaded by Graham O'Meara, "the play's the thing" - as Will Shakespeare might have said.
While the Ulster League continues tomorrow with three Section One matches, Leinster's Mills Cup semi-finals - Pembroke v Monkstown and Corinthians v Three Rock Rovers - have been postponed because of inter provincial calls, leaving fans to switch loyalties to the rugby arena.
Looking ahead, it is an irony that as many as seven of the Irish Senior Cup quarter-finalists may also be involved in the last eight stage of the All-Ireland championship in April. This situation has come about because - with seeding in operation - only the strongest sides have survived in the knock-out competition.
Indeed, there is the possibility that the cup ties involving Pembroke and Lisnagarvey (February 20th) and Cork C of I and Avoca (February 27th) could be repeated in the league play-offs (Leinster champions v Ulster third; Munster winners v Leinster third).
Ulster - N Slane (Bangor), N Wilson (Cookstown); J Bloomfield (Lisnagarvey), A Carson (NICS), C Clarke (Lisnagarvey), P Fleming (Lisnagarvey), G Grundie (NICS), M Harte (Dublin Univ), G Irwin (Cookstown) C Kennedy (Instonians) capt, A Lewis (Instonians), K Lunn (Lisnagarvey), G McKee (Mossley), S Parker (Bangor), S Reid (Instonians), M Simpson (Cookstown); coach: S Watt; manager: D Lewers.
Leinster - G Bailey (Monkstown), S Davey (Three Rock Rovers); C Bailey (Monkstown), R Beere (Monkstown), A Bothwell (Three Rock Rovers) capt, C Brady (avoca), S Butler (Glenanne), R Harris (Three Rock Rovers), S Kershaw (Pembroke Wanderers), A Missen (Corinthians), S Mitchell (Avoca), W Powderley (YMCA), G Ringwood (Three Rock Rovers), D Shaw (Glenanne), G Shaw (Glenanne), J Sherriff (Monkstown); coach: A Kidney; manager: J Clarke. MUNSTER - R Shine (Harlequins), A Whit- taker (Cork C of I); A Chambers (Cork C of I), D Crowley (Bandon), M Dawson (Harlequins), D Eakins (Harlequins), J Ahern (Belvedere), D Lombard (Harlequins), C Nicholson (Harlequins), M Treacy (Bandon), A Daunt-Sheehan (Harlequins), M Holmes (Catholic Institute), M Black (Cork C of I), B Hayes-Curtin (Harlequins), D Kavanagh (Catholic Institute), T Mar- tin (Cork C of I); coach: G Treacy; manager: P Dawson.
Universities - C Deane (Trinity), P Grimes (Univ of Ulster); A Armstrong (Queen's), P Barbour (Univ of Ulster), P Bar- rett (Univ of Ulster), G Dunne (Trinity), P Fitzroy (UCD), M Gageby (Trinity) capt, A Jones (UCD), P Jowett (univ of Ulster), J Lush (Trinity), T McMurray (Queen's), G O'Meara (UCD), T Parsons (DCU), A Slane (Queen's), K Walsh (DCU); coach: R Smyth; manager: S Hiles.
Programme: Tonight: Ulster v Universities, 6.0; Leinster v Munster, 8.0; tomorrow: Leinster v Universities, 1,0; Ulster v Munster, 3.0; Sun- day: Munster v Universities, 11.0; Ulster v Leinster, 2.0. Umpires: R O'Connor, G Quail, I Thompson, W McCully, C McConkey, T Goode; tournament director: N McCullough.
Ulster Senior League - Instonians v Cliftonville, Olympia, 1.0; Newry Olympic v Lisnagarvey, Belfast Road, 2.30; Annadale v Raphoe, Lough Moss, 2.30.
