WOMEN'S HOCKEY/Preview: After ending Ulster's hopes of a five-in-a-row in the senior interprovincial championships last year Leinster head for Cork this weekend intent on retaining the title they won for the first time since 1997 in Galway.
With nine current or former internationals in their squad the holders must be regarded as the favourites but Munster, with eight Irish Senior Cup finalists from Cork Harlequins in their panel, will be hopeful that home advantage will help them to their first title in eight years. The outcome of Leinster and Munster's meeting this evening, then, will be crucial to the hopes of both.
Leinster's Kerry Hiles, who has been outstanding with Old Alexandra, is eager to emulate club- mate Anya Bower's achievement of winning titles with both Ulster and Leinster. Hiles was on the 1999 Ulster team that triumphed in Cork but switched this season because she is based in Dublin.
Her call-up has proved a source of amusement for her boyfriend, Leinster and Irish rugby international Emmet Byrne.
Ulster take their youngest ever squad to Cork due to the unavailability of Arlene Boyles, Claire McMahon, Jill Orbinson, Karen Humphreys and Julie Stewart.
Ulster open their tournament this evening against a Connacht squad that has a core of experienced players who have had plenty of success at club level, including the Loreto trio of Clodagh Grealy, Orla Ryan and Sarah Scott, joint top scorer in Leinster's Senior A this season.
CONNACHT: E Fitzgibbon, C Murphy (both Galway), S McDonald (Greenfields), T Browne, D McDermott (both Hermes), S Scott (capt), C Grealy, O Ryan (all Loreto), O Canavan, C Deacy, J Morris, E MacNicholas, L O'Hagan (all Pembroke), S Collins (Renmore), A Barry, A Mitchell (both Trinity). Coach: Orla Bell.
LEINSTER: S Kane (Genesis), D Kelly, J Osbourne (both Hermes), C McKean, C O'Kelly, N Symmons (all Loreto), N King, T Conway (capt), K Hiles (all Old Alexandra), M Goode, V Doran, C Hayes (all Pembroke Wanderers), E Horan, C Murray, C O'Brien, L O'Neill (all UCD). Coach: Siobhán Keogh.
MUNSTER: R Kingston (Bandon), J Hales (Church of Ireland), R Wolfe (Corinthian), O McCarthy, K Bateman, R Kohler (capt), E Brommel, S Canning, J Chappel, E Dillon, J Hyland (all Cork Harlequins), F Connery (Hermes), E Cregan (Univ of Limerick), N Lyons (Loreto), A Carey, C Kenefick (UCC). Coach: John McGrath.
ULSTER: B McKeever (Ballymoney), J Gibson, S Beaney, L Feeney, J McDonough (all Belfast Harlequins), H Cathcart (Hightown), F Ferguson, P Magill, K Maybin, K Mills (capt), H Mullan, C Redpath (all Pegasus), L Forsythe (Portadown), S Wilkinson, C Parkhill, S Parkhill (all Randalstown). Coach: Graham Quincey.
