Belvedere College

Record: P 16, W 10, L 6.

Coaches: D Kavanagh, Fr J Culliton.

Players from last year: Andrew Dunne (out-half, capt), Andrew Cullen (flanker), Johnny Burns (wing), Brian O'Malley (centre), Sean Brophy (prop).

Prospects: Face a nightmare opening match against St Mary's and if they survive, Newbridge won't be much easier. Outstanding players in Andrew Dunne and Andrew Cullen. If they get over first hurdle, could make semi-finals at least.

Blackrock College

Record: P 17, W 11, L 6.

Coaches: V Costello, J Burns, T Geraghty.

Players from last year: Niall Treston (prop, capt), Geoff McEvoy (hooker), Conor Best (prop), Andrew O'Neill (centre).

Prospects: In non-vintage years, Blackrock generally win more cups because of solidity in depth. Face a potentially tricky tie against Clongowes in quarter-finals but should sneak through that one. Should make the penultimate stage, possible finalists but not winners.

Castleknock College.

Record: N/A.

Coaches: M Quinn, C Quinn.

Players from last year: John Duffy (second row, capt), Colm McMahon (second row), Brian Melvin (flanker), Dermot Grimes (number eight), John Davis (outhalf).

Prospects: Castleknock have lost more finals than any other school but that statistic will not be altered by this year's team. Face a very difficult opening tie against Wesley College and a victory here would guarantee a passage to the quarter-finals but not further.

CUS

Record: P 15, W 7, L 6, D 2.

Coach: M Freeman.

Players from last year: Hugh Goddard (number eight, capt), Damien Brunton (centre), Mark Smith (centre), Damien Lambert (flanker), Gareth Pitcher (wing).

Prospects: Had to withdraw from the senior league because of injuries, a problem that has deprived them of key players. Difficult to see them upsetting Roscrea, so sadly a first-round exit.

CBC Monkstown

Record: P 19, W 6, L 13.

Coaches: P Fox, G Berry.

Players from last year: John McKenzie (prop), Killian Lynch (number eight), Ken Walsh (centre).

Prospects: Two weak junior teams in succession have contributed to Monkstown's current plight at senior level. With no disrespect to Mount Temple, Monkstown are fortunate not to have drawn a strong team. Would boast a 30/70 chance of winning a second-round match if they make it.

Cistercian, Roscrea

Record: P 12, W 7, L 5.

Coach: K West.

Players from last year: John Phelan (hooker), Dermot O'Loughlin (number eight, second row), Peter Corcoran (flanker), Shane Garvey (out-half).

Prospects: Should have the measure of CUS but a likely clash with St Michael's should end their interest in the cup. Made the league semi-final but had some heavy defeats against the better sides in friendlies.

Clongowes Wood College

Record: P 14, W 6 L 8.

Coaches: V Murray, N Murray.

Players from last year: Des Dillon (second row, capt), Gavin Ryan (hooker), Rory McEaney (centre), Gordon D'Arcy (fullback).

Prospects: Unusually for Clongowes they lost more pre-season friendlies that they won, including their first four matches. Young team with excellent performers in Des Dillon and Gordon D'Arcy, they beat both Terenure and St Mary's. Could surprise Blackrock. Value-for-money dark horses.

DLS Churchtown

Record: P 17, W 8, L 8 D 1.

Coach: B Ryan.

Players from last year: Gareth O'Reilly (out-half), John Corcoran (centre), Graham Hamill (wing), Gus Stewart (hooker), Mark O'Sullivan (wing), Alan Brady (number eight).

Prospects: Early promise gave way to mediocrity, not helped by injuries to six players. Retain a strong spine from year's side and given a reasonable draw could have made progress but will not find Blackrock accommodating and therefore another school destined for an early exit.

Gonzaga

Record: P 12, W 7, L 4, D 1.

Coaches: K Whindy, N McCarthy, D Fassbender.

Players from last year: Diarmuid Ryan (second row), John Freeman (second row), Gavin D'Alton (prop), Stephen Punkster (out-half), Brian McCloskey (centre).

Prospects: Not altogether appetising given that they face Newbridge in the first round, a side that hammered them 31-0 during the pre-season. Should definitely be more obdurate this time around but the end product is unlikely to change.

The High School

Record: P 14, W 6, L 8.

Coach: D Wright.

Players from last year: Ross Wynne (centre, capt), Jonathan Fennell (centre), Dan Downey (out-half), Ross McNally (hooker), Jamie Collins (flanker), Justin O'Malley (second row).

Prospects: Despite a strong representation from last year's side, High School have suffered in pre-season. New coach David Wright succeeds Derek Cole who stepped down after 28 years but his first cup campaign in charge will end with a defeat to league finalists King's Hospital.

HFDLS Skerries

Record: P 11, W 5, L 5, D 1.

Coaches: A Molloy, D Connolly.

Players from last year: none.

Prospects: With only six sixth years in the team, Holy Faith did extremely well to qualify from Section A, albeit profiting from a good draw. They are unlucky to have drawn St Michael's, one of the pre-tournament favourites, and will simply look to acquit themselves well in defeat.

Kilkenny College

Record: P 18, W 12, L 6.

Coach: K Clayton.

Players from last year: Steven D'Alton (centre, capt), Geoffrey Kenny (flanker), Roscoe Deacon (full-back), Brian Walsh (wing), Brian Gill (prop), Karl Gill (prop).

Prospects: Traditionally a very strong school in Section A, their graduation to the main draw without recourse to playing is merited. They pose a tricky assignment for St Gerard's. Identical twins Brian and Karl Gill could spearhead a Kilkenny victory.

The King's Hospital

Record: P 14, W 12, L 2.

Coaches: D Kelleher, J Huggard.

Players from last year: John Bagnall (flanker), Peter Gibson (number eight), B Curran (prop), Ricky Milligan (prop).

Prospects: Beaten finalists in the league, King's Hospital should be too accomplished for both High School and St Columba's but may come a cropper against pre-tournament favourites Terenure in the quarter-finals. Will make the latter work hard, though.

Mount Temple

Record: N/A.

Coaches: J Casey, D Maybury, R O'Toole, T Kearns.

Players from last year: none.

Prospects: Section A winners Mount Temple will relish the opportunity of taking on one of the weaker B sides in CBC Monkstown. Despite Monkstown's frailty, Mount Temple may lack the savoir faire to earn them a notable victory. It should be close.

Newbridge College

Record: P 15, W 13, L 2.

Coach: P Cunningham.

Players from last year: Paddy Byrne (centre), Barry Guckian (centre), Patrick Noble (out-half), John O'Sullivan (number eight), John Roche (flanker), Henry Hegarty (flanker), Niall Hughes (prop).

Prospects: League champions Newbridge accounted for some significant scalps in the pre-season, beating Blackrock, Clongowes and St Michael's. Their two defeats came against Terenure and St Mary's, whom they may face in the second round. Could have gone further with a better draw.

Pres, College Bray

Record: P 18, W 10, L 8.

Coaches: B O'Hagan, W Robertson, B O'Keeffe.

Players from last year: Kevin O'Keeffe (hooker, capt), Ray Lyons (second row), Michael Hornett (second row), Gordon Fallon (prop), Dan Kiely (flanker), Stephen Flynn (flanker), David Flynn (number eight), Alan Toner (out-half), Conor Moynihan (fullback), Ross Spillane (centre).

Prospects: Bray have not managed the success that one would expect from a side that contains 10 players from last year. A mediocre pre-season may culminate in their dismissal by Clongowes, whom they meet in the second round.

St Andrew's College

Record: P 10, W 4, L 6.

Coaches: D Boyd, T Ward.

Players from last year: Adam Shehabeddin (out-half), Aaron O'Grady (second row), Ian Dumbleton (flanker), David McElroy (flanker). Prospects: A thankless task in facing Terenure. This match will be all about performance for St Andrew's with not even the remotest chance of victory, unless they can conjure one of the great cup upsets.

St Columba's College

Record: P 12, W 5, L 7.

Coaches: D Sherwood, D Cole.

Players from last year: Charles Langley (prop), David Dobbs (second row), Adrian Keane (second row), Nicholas Patton (flanker), Patrick Syme (number eight), Nicholas Wolfe (centre).

Prospects: One can empathise with head gamesmaster David Sherwood when he questions St Columba's sudden elevation to Section B. They will be out of their depth and that fact should be illustrated quite painfully by King's Hospital. If St Columba's qualify for Section B, fine, but they should not be just thrust in.

St Gerard's, Bray

Record: P 14, W 6, L 8.

Coaches: J McDonnell, V Drummy.

Players from last year: Conor Hegarty (out-half, capt), Michael Costyan (number eight), Johnny O'Toole (scrum-half), Simon Hunt (wing).

Prospects: Not particularly favoured by the draw in that Kilkenny may belie the Section A status afforded them every year except this one for some reason. Four defeats in the last four games do not augur well, albeit that three of these were by narrow margins to CUS, Templeogue and Castleknock.

St Mary's College

Record: P 14, W 10, L 4.

Coaches: C Byrne, D Dunne, D Hickie, C O'Donnell, T Lewis.

Players from last year: Robert Henson (hooker, capt), Daragh Hughes (full-back), Colm McWeeney (centre), Donal Campion (wing), Paul Madden (scrum-half), Gavin Hickie (prop), Colm O'Sullivan (prop), Patrick Norton (second row), Robert Ryan (flanker).

Prospects: St Mary's boast an experienced backbone to the team, one that they will require as they face a very tough opening match against Belvedere tomorrow. Despite having beaten tomorrow's opposition, recent form suggests a Belvedere victory, but nevertheless a potential upset.

St Michael's College

Record: P 14, W 10, D 1, L 3.

Coach: P Barr, A McMaster.

Players from last year: Simon Keogh (scrum-half, capt), Gerry Cleary (prop), Fiachra Baynes (wing), John Byrne (flanker).

Prospects: The main challengers to Terenure in the top half of the draw and almost certain semi-finalists. Should not expend too much energy in reaching the penultimate stage. Impressive friendly record and two Leinster schools players in Simon Keogh and Gerry Cleary. Lansdowne Road beckons.

St Paul's College

Record: P 14, W 8, D 1, L 5.

Coach: G Ferrick.

Players from last year: Charles Bracken (prop), Mark Cahill (second row), S Coghlan (second row), Niall Glackin (fullback), Shane Harnett (wing), Paul Henry (prop), David Siochain (wing), Vinny Patton (scrum-half), Gareth Rossi (centre), David Walsh (number eight), Kevin Woods (flanker).

Prospects: Despite 11 players returning from last year, St Paul's may not break their first-round bogey which has seen them fail to get past the first hurdle for the past eight years. New coach Gearoid Ferrick faces a tough baptism.

Templeogue College.

Record: P 12, W 5, L 7.

Coaches: M Bolger, M O'Brien.

Players from last year: Kevin Kelly (number eight, capt), Joe Rafferty (fullback), Conor McPhilipps (scrum-half), David O'Sullivan (hooker), Eoin Keane (second row), Karl O'Brien (flanker).

Prospects: Templeogue have a penchant for edging towards the latter stages of the cup. Although the team has not accomplished a great deal, buoyed by the presence of second row Eoin Keane, they are slight favourites to edge out St Paul's and then CBC for a quarter-final place.

Terenure College

Record: P 14, W 8, L 6.

Coaches: D Thornton, C O'Sullivan, G Murphy.

Players from last year: O Coyle (prop), J Jenkinson (back row), T Carter (back row), C Moynagh (centre), M O'Kelly (centre), J Coffey (full-back), S Coleman (wing), A Long (wing).

Prospects: Don't be fooled by their preseason record which included defeats by Blackrock, Belvedere, St Mary's and Clongowes. Terenure have been improving steadily and, favoured by the draw, should cruise into the semi-finals where they might have too much for Michael's. Potential champions.

Wesley College

Record: P 11, W 6, L 4, D 1.

Coach: F O'Brien.

Players from last year: Iaun Wallace (prop), Harold Leech (hooker), Gareth McCuskey (second row), Paul Swaine (second row), Lloyd Williams (flanker), David Popplewell (scrum-half), Henry Wilkinson (centre), Marc Culhane (wing), Richard Morris (full-back), Mark England (number eight).

Prospects: If they can overcome Castleknock in the opening match, then they could reasonably expect to make the quarter-finals where they would meet either St Mary's or Belvedere. Experienced team that won't be easily overturned.