In the by now virtually traditional thunderous silence from cricket selectors at national, provincial and whatever-you're-having-yourself levels, the reasons for the two changes in the Leinster line-up for Sunday's Interprovincial Championship match against North West at Malahide are not readily clear. No matter; compared to the team which defeated North last month, Matt Dwyer and Ronan O'Reilly replace Anto Canavan and Brian MacNeice in a game which is likely to decide the championship.
This could be a tough encounter. Leinster's finest will be up again a formidable North West side - even without the redoubtable Decker Curry. Current internationals Gordon Cooke, Stephen Smyth and Dwayne McGerrigle will be partnered by former Ireland players Junior McBrine and Peter Gillespie. Leinster, meantime, will be looking for good performances from the likes of Angus Dunlop, the Davy brothers, Gus and Ed Joyce, et al. Meantime, Munster, captained by Pembroke's Ted Williamson, are hosts to North at The Mardyke, and will have to work hard against a team which includes Alan Rutherford, Kyle McCallan, Neil Carson and Neil Anderson.
The aptly-titled Conqueror Leinster Senior Cup reaches the quarter-final stage, this afternoon. The holders Leinster have home advantage against Pembroke, as have CYM, The Hills and Railway Union in their matches against Clontarf, YMCA and Merrion, respectively.
Leinster: A Dunlop (YMCA) capt., B Archer (The Hills), M Dwyer (The Hills), P Mooney (The Hills), R O'Reilly (Clontarf), J Davy (Pembroke), P Davy (Pembroke), J Morrissey (Merrion), A Joyce (Merrion), E Joyce (Merrion), G Molins (Railway Union).
North West: P Gillespie (Strabane) capt, M Gillespie (Strabane), D Cooke (Brigade), G Cooke (Brigade), S Smyth (Brigade), D MGerrigle (Donemana), Junior McBrine (Donemana), R Christie (Glendermott), J Thompson (Glendermott), R McDaid (Limavady), M Olphert (Bready).
Munster: T Williamson (Pembroke) capt, J Carnegie, M Barriscale (both Phoenix), A Hartigan, A Lynch, F Alam, G Lawlor (all Limerick), J Power, K Coleman, K Banks, K Sorensen (all Cork County).
North: A Rutherford (Woodvale) capt, K McCallan (Cliftonville), N Carson (Instonians), G Morrison (Lurgan), A White, W Adam (both North Down), N Anderson (Lurgan), P Tate (Downpatrick), A McCoubrey (Ballymena), S Redpath (NICC), D Heasley (Lisburn).
Umpires: Tomorrow: Leinster Senior Cup: At Terenure: L Keegan, J Ford; At Rathmines: B Carpenter, P Thew; At Milverton: J Connolly, A Tuffery; At Park Avenue: S Daultrey, D Brennan. Sunday: Interprovincial Championship: At Malahide: R MacClancy, A Tuffery. Leinster Senior League: At Terenure: L Hogan, J Connolly.
