Johnny Watterson

The Irish Hockey Association (IHA) appear to have failed in their efforts to persuade Munster to fulfil their fixture against Ulster in the preliminary round of the interprovincial tournament at the National Hockey Stadium in Belfield on October 18th.

Munster, citing a chronic lack of coaches and managers, pulled out of the competition, which was scheduled to coincide with the launch of the IHA's new Strategic Plan for the game.

Importantly, they have also said their top players were reluctant to commit to the event following so closely on the the European Championships in Barcelona.

The preliminary round of the competition has now been scrapped as Leinster declined to step in for Munster and play Ulster at short notice. It is the first time anything like this has happened and it will leave the October weekend without a centrepiece game and force the reorganisation of the interprovincial competition.

"We cannot play on the 18th of October," said Munster president Pat Dawson. "We have the offer of a caretaker manager but we've no suitable coach. At this time we are ill prepared for a match this side of Christmas.

"Players have also indicated, the coach and manager issue aside, that the October date is too early after Barcelona. We are drawing from the same pool of players all the time.

"It is problematic but I wouldn't like to see a team go to Belfield coachless or without a manager. It would be unprofessional."

Elsewhere, Glenanne face UCD in the students' first match of the new season, with Trinity travelling to Corinthians for their first venture. Both games are tough starts for the university sides, Glenanne, for example, having drawn 3-3 with Corinthians last week.

Incidentally, the Glenanne's trio now playing full time with the Dragons Club in Belgium - Stephen Butler, Graham Shaw and Joe Brennan - opened their league last week. Butler resumed where he left off last year by scoring three corners against Hercules in his side's 4-2 win.

The draw for the first round of the Men's Irish Senior Cup was also made this week. This season's competition has an entry of 44 teams, with the Division One clubs in each province being excluded until the third round.

The excluded teams are Lisnagarvey, Instonians, Cookstown, Annadale, Banbridge, Bangor, NICS, Newry, Three Rock Rovers, Glenanne, Corinthians, Pembroke Wanderers, Railway Union, Aer Lingus, Monkstown, YMCA, UCD, Dublin University, Belvedere, Cork Church of Ireland, Catholic Institute, Cork Harlequins and UCC.

The first round will be played on Saturday, November 15th.

jwatterson@irish-times.ie