STORMONT is the venue this, weekend for the under 21 interprovincial championship.

The reappointed national coach Cees Koppelaar will be present as he will soon be selecting development squads.

Ulster are again fielding a very accomplished squad and may well retain the title. Patrick Brown, Ivan Steen and Brian Waring are already much respected defenders at senior dub? level Jonathan McMeekin, Chris Jackson and Andrew McBride, too have plenty to offer in midfield while Mark Tumilty is a finisher to be feared.

Both Leinster and Munster, however, will be highly competitive. Francis de Rosa of Pembroke leads a Leinster side with particularly tenacious cohorts in Alan Browne, Colin Kelly, Owen Butler and Stephen Stewart.

They will find it difficult tonight to tame Munster, for whom Wesley Bateman, Jason Black, John Ahern, Paul Lombard and Colm Hanna have already established reputations of substance in youth circles.

In Dublin tomorrow, there is a key match in the Leinster Senior League in which Railway Union will make a bold effort at Park Avenue to oust Three Rock Rovers from the top of the table.

Each side has one player on under 21 duty Railway's centre forward Stephen Moulton and

Three Rock Rovers defender Mark Henderson, so that leaves matters even.

It may be to Railway's disadvantage that they have not had much action of late, whereas fully engaged Rovers have gained confidence, especially having beaten Avoca. Robin Madeley, too, has widened the game plan, resulting in strikes coming not solely from Liam Canning.

Nevertheless, Railway have also defeated Avoca and lost only 1-0 to Three Rock at Grange Road. Unsparing performances by Barry Merriman and the O'Brien brothers could at least yield a point this time.

Rivalry in Leinster schools hockey has reached a high level this season, so there promises to be a stimulating game in the Senior League play off between Newpark and St Andrew's at Serpentine Avenue today (2.15).