HOCKEY: Leinster's senior and under-21 teams will attempt to win their third successive interprovincial titles in Garryduff this weekend where both tournaments are being hosted by Church of Ireland. With the World Cup Qualifier just five months away the weekend also presents an opportunity for players to stake a claim to a place in the squad for Rome.
While the details of the Irish squad's build-up to the Qualifier have still to be finalised their participation in a four nations tournament in Durban in February has been confirmed by the Irish Hockey Association. They will play South Africa, Scotland and Azerbaijan in the event, with the latter two teams also competing in Rome.
Before then Ireland will play Scotland twice in Dublin and after the Durban trip will set off for Argentina where they will play the hosts, Germany and Japan in another four nations tournament. Two matches against England in Manchester in April will complete the build-up.
Rudi Wortmann is missing three of the Leinster stalwarts who helped the province to success at Grange Road last year - Jenny Burke, Linda Caulfield and Trish Conway - and is also without both goalkeepers from last season's squad. Loreto's Louisa Healy had to withdraw this week with a back injury while Mary Goode, now playing with Cork Harlequins, will be representing Munster. Hermes's Nikki King has been called up to replace Healy and joins UCD's Pamela Smithwick in the squad, a goalkeeper she once coached at King's Hospital.
Jill Orbinson and Eimear Cregan have returned from their spells with Dutch club Push to represent Ulster and Munster, respectively, over the weekend, with Orbinson adding some much-needed experience to a squad that is missing fellow internationals Angela Platt, Katharine Maybin, Jenny McDonough and Nikki McCaughern.
Connacht, coached this year by Roy Horsfield, include 13 Leinster League players and just two who are playing their hockey in Connacht - Renmore goalkeeper Sinéad Collins and Emma Glanville of Galway - while the core of the Munster side will be made up by Harlequins players.
SENIOR INTERPROVINCIAL TOURNAMENT (at Garryduff) - Today: Connacht v Ulster, 6.0; Munster v Leinster, 8.0. Tomorrow: Leinster v Ulster, 2.45; Munster v Connacht, 4.30. Sunday: Leinster v Connacht, 2.15; Munster v Ulster, 4.0.
UNDER-21 INTERPROVINCIAL TOURNAMENT (at Garryduff) - Today: Munster v South East, 11.0; Leinster v Connacht, 12.45; Ulster v South East, 2.30; Leinster v Munster, 4.15. Tomorrow: South East v Connacht, 9.30; Ulster v Leinster, 11.15; Munster v Connacht, 1.0. Sunday: Ulster v Connacht, 9.0; Leinster v South East, 10.45; Munster v Ulster, 12.30.
MAY COSTLEY CUP - Second round - Tomorrow: Kilkenny ll v Yeats County, Kilkenny College, 2.0; Midleton v Dromore, Midleton College, 10.0; Moyne-Thurles v Cooke, Ursuline Convent, 2.40; Avoca v Carlow or Weston, Newpark, 12.15. Sunday: Dungarvan v Enniscorthy, Friary College Grounds, 1.0.
LEINSTER LEAGUE - Division Two: Hermes II v Glenanne, Booterstown, 2.0; Loreto III v Corinthian II, Beaufort, 2.0; Old Alexandra II v Bray, Milltown, 1.30.
