Programme disrupted

Having barely and belatedly swung into action, the AIB All-Ireland League's second series of games has been predictably disrupted due to Ulster's and Munster's presence in this weekend's European Cup quarter-finals.

Any club side with two players involved in European fare is entitled to a postponement and, though Munster will not finalise their starting XV and travelling squad for Sunday's quarter-final against Colomiers until today at the earliest, the likelihood is that three games each in divisions one and two will be deferred to a later date.

The Cork Constitution v Ballymena game already falls into that category, as does the Shannon-Garryowen Limerick derby and, pending the inclusion of at least two Young Munster players in their provincial squad (the two Clohessys and Mick Lynch are all contenders) then so will the Terenure-Young Munster encounter.

In Division Two, three matches may also be victims of the European Cup. The DLSP-Bective game has already been postponed due to the inclusion of Bryn Cunningham and Mark Edwards as the replacement halves in the Ulster squad, as, more predictably, is the case with the Ballynahinch-Dungannon match. The Portadown-UCC tie is likely to follow suit, presuming both Mick O'Driscoll and Peter Stringer are selected by Munster.

These disruptions mean only three first division games survive on Saturday. The pick of them would seem to be the Templeville Road meeting of Leinster's title challengers St Mary's and Lansdowne, each of whom threw down their markers last weekend with wins over Munster opposition.

Lansdowne have announced a starting XV which shows only two changes from the team which accounted for Cork Constitution by 24-17. One of these is enforced, due to Barry Everitt's involvement with Munster, resulting in Brian Glennon being called in at out-half. The other sees Liam Toland being included from the start at open-side flanker, with Shane McEntee switching to the blind side to the exclusion of John O'Beirne in the back-row unit which finished last Saturday's game.

Gordon D'Arcy (hamstring trouble) may possibly be available the following week for the visit of Clontarf, and if not, then in the New Year, as will the suspended Angu McKeen, while flanker Stephen Rooney (knee) will be sidelined for another six weeks.

St Mary's will delay announcing their side until tomorrow or Friday pending updated fitness reports on the respective back injuries to Denis Hickie and Trevor Brennan.

Blackrock, seeking a buffer of four points from two games at Galwegians after all the pre-championship forecasts of doom and gloom, have swiftly announced an unchanged side from that which beat Terenure by 22-16. Tight-head prop Paul Jordan holds off Ian McLoughlin and Michael Roche fends off a cluster of centres.

The Galwegians' coach Joe Healy would like to retain the same starting line-up which performed so disappointingly at Buccaneers - in part a statement of faith in the team which carried them through Division Two unbeaten last season, and also because their strength in depth is a tad shallow.

However, there is a strong doubt again over the availability of their Connacht full-back Willie Ruane, due to a pelvic injury, in which case he would be replaced by the 33-year-old former Connacht and Corinthians full-back Henry O'Toole, who is a dual status player with the Connemara All Blacks.

Clontarf make one change for the visit of Buccaneers to Castle Avenue, with Craig Bewley replacing Ryan O'Neill on the rightwing. Buccaneers will not finalise their side until their coach Eddie O'Sullivan, due home from the States last night, reviews the video of their win over Galwegians and surveys training.

In Division Two, Old Belvedere have been hit by the news that their New Zealand number eight, Moray Erickson, has been forced to retire due to a recurring neck injury. Meanwhile Chris Tytherleigh has been sidelined for an estimated 10 weeks as a result of a broken jaw he sustained in a junior match against Clontarf.

Their player-coach Stephen Dods has demoted himself, penciling in either Cormac Johnson or Mick McLoughlin as his replacement, and is also undecided about loose-head and inside centre in an otherwise unchanged team.

Their hosts, Greystones, make just one change from the side beaten in Dungannon, Shane Pender coming in to the second row with Tom Curtis switching to the back row and Mark Hogan moving to the bench.

Old Wesley, for the visit of Skerries, make three changes to their youthful side in the wake of their last-quarter collapse against Belvedere. Scrum-half Quinton Hearne, tight-head Ed Moore and lock Ross Farrell replace Johnny Kenefick, Olivier Espagnol and Craig Brownell. A vacancy is left at blind-side flanker due to a doubt about Ronan Gavin, with Chris Pratt the likely replacement.