Nice to see the Ulster hurling selectors including players from some of the weaker counties in their lineup for their inter-provincial clash with Connacht. It’s a great way of promoting the game in the weaker areas and giving exposure to the talented players who are outside the mainstream. There’s no doubt that most counties out there would have 1 or 2 top notch players who wouldn’t look out of place in a Kilkenny or Cork team.

Pity Leinster didn’t try shake up their team with a few more non standard players. Instead they loaded it with Kilkenny players who obviously had better things to be doing and duly got stuffed by Munster.

It’ll be interesting to see what team Connacht puts out, hopefully it won’t be the usual Galway 15.

The inter-provincials have been dying a death for many a long year. This year they’re trying to drum up interest by playing both the hurling and football finals on the same night under lights in Croke Park. Sounds like a good idea but hard to see a big crowd turning up - especially when leinster won’t be involved, so fans would have to travel some distance. If they really wanted a crowd they should make it free entry - they (GAA/Croke Park) make enough all year with prices from 30 to 70 euro - it wouldn’t hurt if they gave a little back by waiving the entrance fee. It might even ecourage more families to attend for a novel occasion.

For the record that Ulster Connacht clash is on Saturday night in Ballybofey at 6pm. The Ulster team which has players from 6 different counties: Antrim, Armagh, Down, Donegal, Fermanagh and Tyrone is:

Graham Clarke (Down),
S Delargy (Antrim) (capt), M McCambridge (Antrim), A Graffin (Antrim),
J Donnelly (Donegal), K McKeegan (Antrim), Gabriel Clarke (Down),
K McGarry (Fermanagh), N McManus (Antrim),
M Herron (Antrim), P McCormack (Armagh), D Coulter (Armagh),
T McIntosh (Tyrone), K Kelly (Antrim), D Cullen (Donegal).

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