The squads for the under-21 Interprovincial Championship at Serpentine Avenue this weekend look as finely matched as they were in Cork last season when it was only in a shoot-out that Ulster beat Munster to take the title from the favourites, Leinster. Ireland went on to win the Celtic Cup at this level in France but there was then the disappointment of finishing only seventh in the European Championship in Madrid.
Yet there remains the possibility of gaining the remaining berth in the Junior World Cup in Tasmania in October (if one of the five entrants drops out of the African Cup in Pretoria at the end of March) so this will be a spur - if tenuous - for the latest crop of young Irish players.
But provincial pride comes first and in this respect Munster may make the strongest impact with Karl Burns, David Hobbs and Dave Eakins to the fore.
Cliff Bailey, though, leads a skilful Leinster side in which Allan Kershaw, Alan Giles and Ian Allen should excel while David Bane is among eight new caps hoping to flourish.
Equally, Ulster are sure to defend their laurels vigorously, especially through Stephen Symmington, Michael Harte and Jonathan Quigley, with the return of Andrew McCarey promising to add to the side's penetration.
The Combined Universities, too, will have plenty to offer with a notable input from Dublin academia led by Charlie Carroll and Christian Judd.
The squad also includes French junior international Damien Timperio (UCC).
Gregory O'Meara, youngest of Joey's three sons, was the scorer of Railway Union's first goal in last Saturday's Irish Senior Cup tie against Glenanne. (Gareth is playing in England).
Veteran international umpire and widely travelled tournament director Jimmy O'Connor is to be presented with an FIH Order of Merit award.
