MEN'S HOCKEY/Preview: Ulster may have sufficient impetus to regain the interprovincial title at Harlequin Park, Cork, this weekend, for holders Munster are hanging on only by a thread following their two 2-1 defeats in the first series of games while Leinster will be missing two of their strongest figures, Stephen Butler and Justin Sherriff.

Butler and Sherriff played in the 2-2 draw with Ulster at Banbridge before Christmas but are unavailable as they are needed by their Belgian club, Antwerp Dragons, for a top-of-the-table championship match against La Gantoise on Sunday. They are replaced by David Shaw of Glenanne and Garry Ringwood of Three Rock Rovers.

Leinster can still generate considerable movement, notably through Alan Browne, Graham Shaw and Gordon Elliott but Ulster have an extremely accomplished back four and although Chris Jackson is absent, Julian Stevenson, Mark Raphael and Mark Irwin will take a lot of subduing.

Munster, buoyed by the advance of Harlequins to the Irish Senior Cup final, will still make some impact but even if they beat Ulster and Leinster on this occasion, they would still be depending on the other two provinces drawing.

Also on this weekend's programme are the Irish Junior Cup semi-finals in which a young Kilkenny side will meet Railway Union II in Dublin, while Lisnagarvey II, at home to Cookstown II, will be aiming to stay on course for a senior-junior double.

MUNSTER: W Bateman, M Ruddle; A Dunne, J Black, C Brady, K Burns, N Buttimeer, D Eakins, E Gash, D Hales, D Hobbs, J Hobbs, J Jermyn, P Lombard, S Nicholson, P Smith; Coach: S Jackson; Manager: J Fletcher.

ULSTER: J Moore, N Skillen; A Barbour, C Barnes, P Brown, G Cuddy, J Gray, M Irwin, E Lutton, J Quigley, M Raphael, D Smyth, J Stevenson, P Stirling, L Tumilty, B Waring; Coach: T Gregg; Assistant coach: P McCabe; Manager: M Graham.

LEINSTER: C Henderson, I Clarke; R Gormley, B Groves, J Brennan, A Bothwell, W Powderly, A Browne, G Ringwood, G Shaw, G Elliott, J Goulding, D Bane, I Allen, D Shaw, S Kershaw; Coach: C Stewart; Assistant coach: N Keogh; Manager: R Walsh.

SHAMROCKS: S Doran, I Hosford; E Bane, T Cockram, I Hamilton, R Heaslip, R Leonard, I Lewers, C Judd, I McKeown, P McLaughlin, A Mills, D Robb, K Treacy, K Twomey, A Walker; Coach: D Pritchard; Assistant coach: A Smyth; Manager: D Miller.

· The captain of Wesley College's Leinster Minor Cup winning side on Wednesday was Mitch Darling (not Darley, as published).