Ireland's under-21 squad will get an indication in the Celtic Cup tournament in Tours (France) this weekend as to how well equipped they are for the European Junior Championship (A division) in Madrid in July.
The side includes four survivors from the team which won the European B title in Padua in 1998 - Charlie Henderson, Andrew Chambers, Mark Black and Justin Sherriff - plus senior international Stephen Butler. These five stalwarts are bound to be the key figures in the fresh quest for honours while four other members of the party - Richard Beere, Colm Brady, Michael Harte and Cliff Bailey - contributed to the winning of the Celtic Cup in Cork last season.
Ireland meet Scotland today followed by Wales tomorrow morning and France on Sunday.
On the home front, the new Leinster champions Glenanne - for whom David Shaw must take some plaudits for his marking of Justin Sherriff last Sunday - are now alive to unheralded prospects in the All-Ireland play-offs. Away to Annadale in the first leg of the quarterfinals on April 1st, this may well be to the Dubliners' advantage.
Pembroke Wanderers, meanwhile, may not relish facing Lisnagarvey on three successive Saturdays (in two league ties and the Irish Senior Cup final). Probably it would be preferable for the Leinster runners-up to tackle Banbridge in the playoffs, so they will be hoping that Lisnagarvey take the Ulster title at Havelock Park tomorrow.
With Trinity and UCD having charged away from the field in the quest for promotion from the Leinster second division, a most sensible idea has been mooted. It has been suggested that the universities merge their resources into one fully talented side to maintain a meaningful existence in the premier league, while still fielding separate teams in lower divisions.
Tomorrow, Trinity should add to their tally against Suttonians and ultimately they will probably remain clear of UCD, leaving their fellow students to meet Aer Lingus in the relegation/promotion playoff.
IRELAND UNDER-21 SQUAD (for Celtic Cup tournament, Tours) - Today, v Scotland, 4.30; tomorrow, v Wales, 10.0; Sunday, v France, 12.0) - C Henderson (Pembroke Wanderers), M Ruddle (Cork C of I); C Bailey (Avoca), R Beere (Monkstown), M Black (Cork C of I), J Bloomfield (Lisnagarvey), C Brady (Avoca), C Burns (Cork C of I), S Butler (Glenanne) capt, A Chambers (Cork C of I), D Eakins (Harlequins), M Harte (Dublin Univ), A Kershaw (Pembroke Wanderers), S Reid (Instonians), J Sherriff (Pembroke Wanderers), S Symmington (NICS); 17th man: P Smith (Cork C of I); coach: G Blackwood; assistant coach: D Pritchard; manager: W Haslett; umpire: G Caulwell.
ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONSHIP (quarter-finals, April 1st and 8th) - Annadale (U3) v Glenanne (L1); Monkstown (L3) v Cork C of I (M1); Harlequins (M2) v Banbridge or Lisnagarvey (U1); Banbridge or Lisnagarvey (U2) v Pembroke Wanderers (L2).
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