Women's hockey Under-21 interprovincialsWith a squad that includes three current senior Irish panellists, Hannah Bowe and Emma Stewart of Armagh and Kirsty McCollum of Pegasus, Ulster will attempt to make the most of home advantage this weekend and regain the under-21 interprovincial title they lost on goal difference to Leinster last year.
The tournament, which opens today with the meeting of Ulster and Connacht (5.30), followed by Munster v South East (7.30), takes place at the Ballykillaire complex in Bangor, where senior coach Riet Kuper will be in attendance.
While Kuper has said that it is unlikely she will add to her panel, which is preparing for August's European Nations Cup in Dublin, she hasn't ruled out the possibility of calling up any player who impresses over the weekend.
That, then, is an added incentive for those who aspire to joining fellow under-21s Bowe, Stewart, McCollum, Ciara Murphy (Connacht) and Alison Lappin (Munster) into the senior international set-up.
Leinster coach Annette Fortune has named a squad that includes eight of last year's winning panel, among them Aisling Flinn, who has been joined by her sisters, twins Róisín and Fyona. Co-captain Nikki Keegan will hope to follow in her sister Rachel's footsteps - vice-captain of last year's squad - while three of the players responsible for much of Railway Union's success this season, Kate Dillon, Beth Maguire and Emma Smyth, are also included.
Leinster, though, suffered a blow during the week when Old Alexandra goalkeeper Shauna Frey had to withdraw through injury. Bairbre Luke has been called up as a replacement, joining fellow Genesis goalkeeper Eimear Fitzsimons in the squad.
Waterford's Jeamie Deacon, whose goals in the wins over Munster and Connacht last year helped South East to a third place finish, is available again to coach David Williamson.
LEINSTER LEAGUE - Division One: Clontarf v Pembroke Wanderers, Clontarf, 4.15. Division Two - Tomorrow: Trinity v Pembroke Wanderers II, Santry, 1.0. Sunday: Diocesan v Old Alexandra II, Rathgar, 3.0.
ULSTER LEAGUE - Section One: Ards v Omagh, Ards Leisure Centre, 2.30; Knock v Coleraine, Queen's, 2.30; Pegasus v Victorians, Queens, 4.30.
UNDER-21 INTERPROVINCIAL TOURNAMENT (at Bangor Sportsplex) - Today: Ulster v Connacht, 5.30; Munster v South East, 7.30. Tomorrow: Leinster v Munster, 9.30; South East v Connacht, 11.30; Ulster v Munster, 1.30; South East v Leinster, 3.30. Sunday: Connacht v Leinster, 9.0; Ulster v South East, 11.0; Connacht v Munster, 1.0; Ulster v Leinster, 3.0.
CONNACHT: E Geraghty, S Hanley, C Delaney (DCU), C Heskin, H Lydon, C Regan (all Galway), A McKeown (Greenfields), K Brannely (Hermes), S Joyce, S Murphy (both Knocknacarra), M Kelly, G Heavey, S McDonald, L O'Donnell (all NUIG), C Murphy (Old Alexandra), S McGovern (UUJ). Coach: Gareth Porter.
LEINSTER: J Heggie, C McGowan (both Corinthian), E Fitzsimons, N Keogh, B Luke (all Genesis), S Cooney, N Keegan (co-capt) (both Loreto), A Flinn, L McCoy (both Old Alexandra), K Dillon, B Maguire, E Smyth (co-capt) (all Railway Union), R Flinn, F Flinn, C Quinlan (all UCD), E Balbirnie (Pembroke Wanderers). Coach: Annette Fortune.
MUNSTER: L Crowley, A Kingston (both Bandon), A Kenny (capt), S Mannion (both Catholic Institute), H Moffett, V Smith (both Church of Ireland), S McGloughlin (Hermes), E Redmond (UCC), S Gleeson (UCD), M O'Dwyer, E Quinlan (both UCG), N Sterritt (UK), A Lappin, M A Cooney, S Carey, F Smith (all Univ of Limerick). Coach: Phil Oakley.
SOUTH EAST: D McGlinchey (Chester University), C O'Donnell (DIT), E Rothwell, L Jacob, A Jacob (all Kilkenny College), E O'Neill (Loreto Kilkenny), N Herlihy (capt) (UCD), C Howard (Univ of Limerick), S Kehoe, F Bradish, J Deacon, K Gaffney (all Waterford), E O'Donoghue, A O'Donoghue, T Gahan, M Horan (all Wexford). Coach: David Williamson.
ULSTER: J Foster (Ards), H Bowe, C Russell, E Stewart (all Armagh), K Smith (Ballymena), L Ballentine, J McVicker (both Ballymoney), A McGowan, K McGowan (both Coleraine), J Lynch (capt) (Loreto), K McCollum (Pegasus), K McComish (Pembroke Wanderers), K Elkin, E Parker, E Clarke (all Randalstown), N Hamilton (Victorians). Coach: Lesley Watkins.
