Ulster unlikely to relinquish U-21 crown

A place in the squad which flies out to Sicily for five days in December is the prize on offer to the 20 players who catch the eye of Irish coach Adele Sloan at the Under-21 Interprovincial Championships at Grange Road this weekend.

The squad travels to Italy as part of the build-up to next September's Under-21 European Championships in Belfast. The players will go through three days of intensive training at the ground of Sicilian club Cus Catania, before playing two friendly internationals against the Italian under21s.

"We'll be going in to the Interpros with an open mind," said Sloan. "I have a good idea of the nucleus of the side, but we've lost a few players from last year's team, including our captain and vice-captain, Kim Mills and Caitriona O'Kelly, so we're still looking for new talent and won't decide on the panel until the final ball is hit on Sunday." With four current Irish under21 internationals in their squad, and another four who were capped at under-18 level last season, Ulster can expect to have a strong representation in the panel chosen for Italy. Under the guidance of their new coaching team of Graham Quincey and Jackie McWilliams, they will look to extend their remarkable, 11-year winning run in the Under-21 tournament.

Nine of the squad which beat Leinster to the title by two points in Kilkenny last year are named in Quincey's squad, including four players - Anya Bowers, Jill Orbinson, Shauna Parkhill and Claire Redpath - who were in the Ulster panel for the Senior Interprovincials last month.

Leinster, who last won the Vera McWeeney Cup in 1985, will be captained by another under-21 international, Vivienne Doran of Genesis. "We have lost our more experienced players - Caitriona O'Kelly in particular is a big loss - but we have a well-balanced squad," said coach Jeanne Thorpe. "I think it will be a team effort from us this year, we don't have as many `stars' perhaps as in other years. But our weakest player probably isn't far off our strongest. I think we have the ability to win if things go right for us on the day - the squad certainly has the talent."

South East's hopes of success at the weekend have been hit by the loss of Caitriona Carey, who has been out of action recently with a groin injury. Coach Catherine Bird concedes the Hermes midfielder is a major loss to the team but is still hopeful that they will prove difficult to beat. "My aim is for us to be competitive and to give every team a challenge. If they're going to beat us they're going to have to play very well."

Munster's preparations for the weekend have been far from ideal, according to coach Valerie Shannon. "I'd be very reticent about our prospects this year because our preparation has been a little lightweight, so I'm not sure how we'll do. We started late because the college girls (there are seven UCC players in the squad) weren't back, and then they were so tired after the Intervarsities that the session after was almost a non-event. And then last weekend was the Irish Cup weekend, so that's really been it.

"But we have a good, balanced side and if we have a good start we'll be in with a chance. The players have come on well, and UCC's win in the Irish Cup last weekend (when they beat Railway Union) should stand to them and give them a bit of confidence," Shannon said.

Irish under-18 internationals Orla Canavan (UCG) and Orla Ryan (Muckross) are named in Donal Dempsey's Connacht squad, which includes 10 of the panel which played in last year's championships.

A coaching seminar, conducted by Sonja Thomann from Holland, for senior club and school coaches, is being held in conjunction with the under-21 Interprovincials at Grange Road on Saturday and Sunday. Details from Eithni Seymour 01-2863890.