The low key nature of the 2024 interprovincial series has plumbed to new depths with the news that Munster Reds will need to borrow no fewer than FIVE Northern Knights youngsters in order to field a squad for their matches at Stormont this week.

Oliver Metcalfe, Jack Dickson, Carson McCullough, Harry Dyer and Adam Leckey are all required by Munster for their T20 clash on Tuesday (3.30pm) and Wednesday (10:45am).

It's evident that the local Cork based players have become disillusioned with the competition, clearly losing interest after a lack of genuine opportunities.

The situation is clearly a tough one for Reds Coach Jeremy Bray with the changing nature of squads making it virtually impossible to forge any sort of consistency and team identity.

Who knows what the Munster Reds stand for? What is their raison d'etre? Are they a Knights B side? 

There needs to be a reset in Cork. The Future Series success of Munster Heat shows there is clearly talent there that should be nurtured and encouraged. 

Meanwhile, the Knights will be captained by James McCollum in the absence of Mark Adair, who together with his brother Ross, Neil Rock and Paul Stirling are off to the T20 World Cup. There's also no Theo van Woerkom who is still in New Zealand awaiting a positive outcome on his Ireland contract situation.

Ben Calitz and Sam Topping are the keepers, while Morgan Topping and Cian Robertson are back from injury.

Northern Knights squad:

James McCollum (capt) (Waringstown), Ben Calitz (Muckamore), Cade Carmichael (Instonians), Jake Egan (Carrickfergus), Matthew Foster (CSNI), Matthew Humphreys (Lisburn), Adam Kennedy (Lisburn), Tyron Koen (CIYMS), Tom Mayes (Waringstown), Ruhan Pretorius (Woodvale), Cian Robertson (Instonians), Morgan Topping (Waringstown), Sam Topping (Waringstown).

Knights players loaned to Munster - Oliver Metcalfe, Jack Dickson, Carson McCullough, Harry Dyer and Adam Leckey.