User:Nicknack009/1996 IRFU Interprovincial Championship

The 1996 Interprovincial Championship was sponsored by Guinness in a three year deal worth £115,000, taking over from the previous sponsors, Smithwicks.

At this stage the Irish provinces were still representative teams, not professional clubs. However, the provinces were now offering contracts and match fees for Heineken Cup and Interprovincial matches, although these contracts sometimes conflicted with players contracted to clubs in England.

Weekend 1
Lineups

Munster: 1. Ian Murray (Cork Constitution), 2. Paul Cunningham (Garryowen), 3. Noel Healy (Shannon), 4. Mick Galwey (c, Shannon), 5. Len Dineen (Old Crescent) 6. Anthony Foley (Shannon), 7. Ben Cronin (Garryowen), 8. Eddie Halvey (Shannon), 9. Stephen McIvor (Garryowen), 10. Aidan O'Halloran (Young Munster), 11. Andrew Thompson (Shannon), 12. Mike Lynch (Young Munster), 13. Brian Walsh (Cork Constitution), 14. John Lacey (Sunday's Well), 15. Sean McCahill (Sunday's Well). Replacement: Pat Murray (Shannon, for Lacey).

Connacht: 1. J. Maher (Old Belvedere), 2. W. Mulcahy (Skerries), 3. R. Ward (Old Belvedere), 4. Graham Heaslip (Galwegians), 5. Mick O'Neill (Blackrock), 6. R. Rogers (Blackrock), 7. B. Gavin (Galwegians), 8. K. Devlin (St. Mary's, c), 9. C. McGuinness (St. Mary's), 10. Eric Elwood (Lansdowne), 11. D. Finnegan (Wanderers), 12. N. Barry (Clontarf), 13. Alan Reddan (Lansdowne), 14. Michael Devine (Buccaneers), 15. B. Carey (Blackrock). Replacements: Nigel Carolan (Corinthians, for Barry), Diarmuid Reddan (Galwegians, for Carey).

Lineups

Ulster: 1. Richard Mackey (Malone), 2. Stephen Ritchie (Ballymena), 3. Clem Boyd (Currie), 4. Gary Longwell (Ballymena), 5. Charlie Simpson (Dungannon), 6. Stuart Duncan (Malone), 7. Denis McBride (c, Malone), 8. Stephen McKinty (Bangor), 9. Stephen Bell (Dungannon), 10. Stuart Laing (Portadown), 11. Jan Cunningham (TCD), 12. Mark McCall (Dungannon), 13. Maurice Field (Malone), 14. James Topping (Ballymena), 15. Robin Morrow (QUB).

Leinster: 1. Henry Hurley (Old Wesley), 2. M. McDermott, 3. A. McKeen (Lansdowne), 4. Steve Jameson (St. Mary's College), 5. G. Duffy, 6. Chris Pim (Old Wesley, c), 7. D. Oswald (Blackrock), 8. Kevin Spicer (Oxford, 9. N. Hogan (Oxford), 10. Richard Governey (Lansdowne), 11. Denis Hickie (St. Mary's), 12. Kurt McQuilkin (Lansdowne), 13. M. Ridge (Old Belvedere), 14. D. Coleman (Terenure), 15. Peter McKenna (Old Belvedere).

Weekend 2
Ulster lineup

1. Richard Mackey (Malone), 2. Stephen Ritchie (Ballymena), 3. Clem Boyd (Currie), 4. Gary Longwell (Ballymena), 5. Alan Robinson (Ballymena), 6. Stuart Duncan (Malone), 7. Denis McBride (c, Malone), 8. Stephen McKinty (Bangor), 9. Stephen Bell (Dungannon), 10. Stuart Laing (Portadown), 11. Jan Cunningham (TCD), 12. Mark McCall (Dungannon), 13. Maurice Field (Malone), 14. James Topping (Ballymena), 15. Robin Morrow (QUB).

Weekend 3
Ulster lineup

1. Richard Mackey (Malone), 2. Stephen Ritchie (Ballymena), 3. Clem Boyd (Currie), 4. Gary Longwell (Ballymena), 5. Alan Robinson (Ballymena), 6. Stuart Duncan, 7. Denis McBride (c, Malone), 8. Stephen McKinty (Bangor), 9. Stephen Bell (Dungannon), 10. Stuart Laing (Portadown), 11. Jan Cunningham (TCD), 12. Sheldon Coulter (Ballymena), 13. Mark McCall (Dungannon), 14. James Topping (Ballymena), 15. Robin Morrow (QUB).