All-Ireland Cup final preview/ Belfast Harlequins v Garryowen Dubarry Park, 4pm:It will be a case of planes and automobiles for the former Ireland under-21 international and Ulster wing Paul McKenzie as he attempts to take his place in the Belfast Harlequins team for today's AIB All-Ireland Cup final at Dubarry Park.
McKenzie was on duty with Ulster - he started on the bench - for their Magners Celtic League game against the Borders at Netherdale last evening, but his club had a plan in place to get him to Athlone for the cup final. It involved a morning flight from Edinburgh to Dublin, where a car would be waiting to whisk him to join his club-mates.
Harlequins have selected the promising young player in the centre, a choice not without a certain irony in that the man he replaces, the Ireland under-20 centre Darren Cave, was also on duty with Ulster but was not expected in Athlone.
Of course the club put contingency plans in place for fear anything went awry with McKenzie's travel plans.
The transformation of Harlequins' fortune's coincided with the appointment of former Ulster coach Alan Solomons, and since Christmas they have been a different team.
The former Ireland flanker Andy Ward has been freed up from his coaching duties to concentrate on a playing role.
Outhalf Niall O'Connor is the team's leading points scorer and he'll be hoping to cap a marvellous season with a trophy to complement his role in Ireland's under-20 Six Nations Grand Slam, where he was back-up to Ian Keatley. His partnership with the former underage international scrumhalf Paul Marshall will be key to his team's chances.
The Belfast side also boast a young front row that includes Ulster academy players Niall Conlon, Stuart Philpott and John Andress. Their only major absentee apart from Cave is their injured number eight Chris McCarey.
Garryowen were unable to confirm their starting line-up as they awaited late fitness reports on Eoghan Hickey, Eugene McGovern and Mark Melbourne.
Hickey didn't play against Clontarf last week - his presence today would be a massive fillip - because of a back spasm and Alan Kingsley stands by to deputise once again.
The boot of fullback Conor Kilroy has been a reliable weapon all season, while there isn't a harder-working back row in club rugby than the triumvirate of captain Paul Neville, Anthony Kavanagh and Peter Malone.
Given the likely fine weather and that both teams like to play an open, expansive game, it promises to be an entertaining tussle.
The big game will be preceded by the clash of Seapoint and Coleraine in the All-Ireland Junior Cup final.
GARRYOWEN(probable): C Kilroy; A O'Loughlin, K Hartigan, C Doyle, C O'Boyle; E Hickey/A Kingsley, G Hurley; R Brosnihan, D Varley, E McGovern; M Melbourne, E Mackey; P Neville (capt), A Kavanagh, P Malone.
BELFAST HARLEQUINS: M Kettyle; G McLoughlin, P McKenzie, K Pyper, J Lowe; N O'Connor, P Marshall; N Conlon, S Philpott, J Andress; G Rourke, L Stevenson; A Ward, C Atkinson (capt), A Gillespie.
