HAVING looked fairly invincible in last season's event, the two Leinster sides head south to this weekend's Interprovincial Squash Championships in Cork with a great deal of work to do if they are to retain their titles.
It is in the men's event that the champions are particularly badly hit, with Derek Ryan, Austin Adarraga, Chris Collins and Ed Dunne all absent from this year's five man team.
Ryan, Adarraga and Duane are all out of the country, while Collins continues to rest his back ahead of a couple of possible tournament appearances where the aim will be to prove his fitness for selection for the European Team Championships in Amsterdam.
The result for Leinster is that Eoin Ryan, who picked up the Leinster Closed title for the first time last month, moves up to number one in a team that is likely to be completed by Brian Lalor, Darragh O'Flynn, John McKay and Keith Murtagh.
With that many changes, the men from Ulster might fancy their chances of regaining the title. The presence of Glasgow based student Stevie Richardson at one should be enough to give their otherwise local squad the edge when the two sides meet tomorrow night in Christy's.
Ia the women's event, Connacht are likely to mount a strong challenge to regain the title they won in 1994, with Anna McGeever and Laura Mylotte, at one and two respectively, augmented by the return of Laura Lynch from Spain.
Their side, which is completed by Sarah Thorntan and Breda Ruaae, should be strong enough to overcome a Leinster panel which is without full time professional Aisling McArdle.
The Irish champion's move to Australia means that Louise Finnegan takes on the lead role for the defending champions, while Olivia French, Jenny Dillon and Meriel Travers are the other certain starters.
The main two contenders meet this evening in a match that, on the face of it, should end up deciding the title. But even if they do not pull off an upset themselves, both Munster and Ulster look capable of exerting some influence over the destination of the silverware. The hosts boast the experienced services of former international Marjorie Croke at one, while the Northerners bring one of the brightest prospects in the Irish game, Madeline Perry.
