The men's Irish cup-holders, Delta Notre Dame, will open the defence of their title in the first weekend in November with a home tie against last year's beaten semi-finalists, St Paul's, Killarney, after the draw was made yesterday in Dublin.

In the women's cup draw, there are no major first-round clashes although last year's semi-finalists, Blarney, are likely to meet league champions, Wildcats, in the quarter-final if the Waterford women get the better of Limerick in the first round.