Men's Hockey Weekend preview: A quiet weekend at senior level with the under-21s hoping to escape the weather that forced the senior tournament to be cancelled and refixed for May. Leinster are aiming to retain the title at Grange Road over the next three days, with YMCA's Trevor Dagg as coach and Avoca's Stephen Kinsella his assistant.
Leinster have a broad spread of clubs represented in the squad with four players from Trinity - Jonathan Royd as captain; Phelie Maguire, who was also on the senior squad; Peter Blackeney and Philip Balbirnie.
In Colin Black, Ian Horsfield and Gareth Watkins, who was also in the senior panel, Monkstown must also be encouraged by the size of their representation.
With Banbridge well represented this season with four players on the Ulster squad, and Munster taking seven players from Cork C of I (4) and Harlequins (3), the home province must still, however, be considered favourites to win the title.
Last year they showed they were the stronger of the three competing provinces.
A panel of players, from which the under-21 national team will be selected, will be announced next month. That panel will prepare for the men's Nations Cup in Belgium, in July, without the benefit of the Celtic Cup as a warm-up tournament as it has been cancelled by the Irish Hockey Association because of lack of funds.
In senior hockey, preparation continues for the Leinster Senior Cup final on St Patrick's Day between Glenanne and Three Rock Rovers.
There will be a different name on the Mills Cup this year as holders Pembroke were knocked in the semi-final.
LEINSTER: J Royd (TCD), J Statham (C of I), A McConnell (TRR), C Black (Monkstown), K Carroll (RU), I Horsfield (Monkstown), M Maguire (TRR), F Lee (UCD), P Maguire (TCD), N Lyons (YMCA), A Sutton (Corinthians), G Watkins (Monkstown), R Bollings (Glenanne), P Blakeney (TCD), P Balbirnie (TCD), A Walker (YMCA).
MUNSTER: C Daunt (Harlequins), C Acquaye (Havant), B Appleby (C of I), R Arnopp (C of I), J Dunphy (Waterford), P Flemming (UCC), A Herbert (C of I), R Hobbs (Harlequins), R Leonard (UCC), C Neville (Waterford IT), P O'Driscoll (Harlequins), S Parker (C of I), B Shine (UCC), K Twomey (C of I), S Wolfe (Belvedere), B Lynch (Bandon).
ULSTER: G Lennox (Banbridge), S Chisholm (Annadale), S Arbuthnot (Lisnagarvey), E Butler (Cookstown), C Cambell (Bangor), T Cockhram (Lisnagarvey), M Daniel (Bangor), A Gill (NICS), M Gleghorn (Instonians), I Lewers (Annadale), S Magowan (Banbridge), E Magee (Banbridge), P Jackson (Annadale), G McCabe (Banbridge), S Redpath (Instonians), M Robinson (Lisnagarvey).
IRISH UNIVERSITIES: K Healy (UCC), K Treacy (DCU), E Bane (DCU), R McCandless (UU), B Scully (TCD), S McCandless (UU), J Blakeney (TCD), D Bane (DCU), G Ryan (UCD), I McKeown (UU), T Parsons (DCU), R Gash (DCU), A Kingstown (UL), I Campbell (UU), S Watt (QUB), E Connolly (DCU)
Under-21 Interprovincials Championship (Grange Road, March 12th, 6.30): Leinster v Munster; Ulster v Irish Universities (8.30): (March 13th, 1.0) - Leinster v Ulster; Munster v Irish Universities (3.0); (March 14th, 1.0) - Munster v Ulster; Leinster v Irish Universities (3.0).
