Leinster have a chance of resurrecting a disappointing season when they play hosts to Strabane for a place in the last four of the Royal Liver Irish Senior Cup at Rathmines today (1.0).

They remain the lone Southern standard bearer in this highly competitive All-Ireland club championship which the Northern sides have dominated since it's inception in 1981 with only Phoenix back in 1986 succeeding in breaking their monopoly.

The Rathmines side, however, have tasted disappointment in the final on two occasions in 1991 , and last season against Brigade.

They go into today's quarterfinal battle with their usual side apart from Paul Cron who is classed as an overseas player which makes him ineligible. His place will be taken by the vastly experienced Tom McDonnell.

Spearheading Leinster's quest for victory will be the three Byrne brothers opening bat Joe usually compact and correct, Johnnie always bold in his stroke play and the youngest of the trio Peter. He too can bat but his principal quality is his left arm spinner and his nagging accuracy in attacking the stumps.

Add in Richie Wardell with bat and ball, abrasive bat Mark Jones, and main strike bowler Ray McDonnell and Leinster may indeed lift the gloom and bring the sunshine back into their season.

But as they showed when defeating Merrion in the previous round Strabane will be doughty opponents and backboned by Charlie McCrum and Peter Gillespie both of whom usually produce weighty contributions they will be difficult to beat.

In a full complement of league matches Clontarf are facing a testing and important weekend, today they travel to meet current section A leaders Carlisle for whom Jason Molins hit two fine centuries on successive days last weekend, while they play Leinster at Castle Aveenue tomorrow.

They welcome back Deryck Vincent after his hamstring injury while an interesting newcomer is Stephen Kuhn a 19-year-old batsman from South Africa. Ronan O'Reilly and Keith Spellman are not available tomorrow and Angus Handcock and teenager Andrew Cullen are their replacements.

Pembroke who meet Railway Union at Park Avenue, and Rush against YMCA are other key matches in this section.

In section B leaders Phoenix joust with Merrion for important points at Anglesea road while other promotion hopefuls The Hills make the journey to Terenure to take on CYM.

In the Interprovincial Tournament the Developement XI, with rising starlet Ed Joyce included, who defeated Munster in their opening game make the long journey to play North West at Eglinton tomorrow 11 a.m.

The Senior II cup final between The Hills and Merrion takes place at Milverton today (11 a.m.).