THE Ireland team to meet the Barbarians at Lansdowne Road on May 18th in the "peace international" will be chosen in Limerick tomorrow morning and announced at 11.30 am.

Pat Whelan, the Ireland manager, said: "While it may not necessarily be the team we would select were it a Five Nations Championship and may try one or two things in relation to the composition of the side, it will be pretty well a full-strength side." Most of the 21 who were in the panel for the match against England, Ireland's last match, are likely to be chosen. One player almost certainly ruled out is flanker David Corkery, who is unlikely to play again this season because of pelvic and groin strains.

Arrangements are also being put in place for the Ireland squad to have three training sessions during the summer months. The selectors are also working on the composition of the panel that will be offered contracts by the IRFU. Around 40 home-based players will be offered contracts. Those players based with English clubs will also be contracted but on a different basis.

Not all the home-based players put on contract will be members of the senior international squad. Several young players, including members of the Ireland team that won the under-21 Triple Crown this season, are likely to be among those offered contracts as an inducement to keep them from going to English clubs.

Progress is being made in the negotiations between the IRFU contracts sub-committee of Billy Lavery, Eddie Coleman and Bobby Deacy and the players' representatives Ireland captain Niall Hogan, Gabriel Fulcher and Denis McBride. They had what was described as a very positive meeting last week.

There is now some doubt that the All-Ireland first division match between Garryowen and Young Munster at Dooradoyle tomorrow will be televised live. It is possible that the telecast will be a delayed transmission. Garryowen must get a point from the match to win the title, otherwise Shannon will retain the championship on points difference.

Garryowen will get £750 for a live transmission, the sum of money that has been in place for the past two seasons for live transmissions of AIL matches.

Garryowen, who have been in negotiations with the IRFU and spoken to RTE on the matter, would prefer a delayed transmission. They are unhappy with the fee as they believe a live transmission will have an adverse effect on the gate.

Cork Constitution, who meet St Mary's in the league at Templeville Road tomorrow have named their international scrum-half and captain, David O'Mahony, at out-half. He plays in the berth because international Paul Burke has been ruled out by a leg injury sustained last week. But Burke is expected to be fit to play in the Munster Senior Cup quarter-final against Old Crescent next week.

Constitution give the scrum-half berth to Brian O'Meara, who was a member of the Ireland under-21 team this season, while Conor Twomey returns at hooker.

Malone will be without their Ulster interprovincial centre Bill Harbinson for the second division league tie against Wanderers at Lansdowne Road tomorrow. Denis Rumney will deputise for Harbinson. Prop Richard Mackey will also be an absentee so Mick Smith moves from hooker to prop and John Caskey plays at hooker, while internationals Denis McBride and Colin Wilkinson return at full back and on the flank, respectively.

The semi-final of the Connacht Senior Cup between Buccaneers and Galwegians, which was due to be played tomorrow, has been postponed until tomorrow week. As a result the cup final, due to be played on May 5th, has been put back to May 12th.

There has been a switch of venue for the final of the Connacht Under-20 Cup on Sunday between UCG and Buccaneers. That will take place at the Sports Ground and not at Crowley Park as originally scheduled. It will be played on a double bill with the Connacht Junior Cup final between Monivea and Castlebar at the Sports Ground.

Wales coach Kevin Bowring has included 11 uncapped players in his 43-strong training squad for this summer's eight-match tour to Australia. Bowring will pick a final 30 on May 10th for the trip which will include two Tests against the Wallabies.

Meanwhile, Neath prop John Davies, who is in the squad, has been cleared by the Welsh RFU over media allegations of foul play in the Five Nations Championship game against Scotland on February 17th.