Balance of power swings north once more

Ulster’s dominance of the age-grade interprovincials continued unabated yesterday as they retained both the men’s and women’s U21 titles at Grange Road. The girls U16 and U18 titles, as well as the boys U18 crown, are also residing in the northern province this season; indeed, they have now taken seven of the ten interpro competitions this year, with Leinster claiming the other three. The U21 women’s side – containing eight Irish senior and A internationals – were easily the most impressive outfit on display, posting a perfect four wins from four, scoring 14 goals while ensuring their own line was never breached.

Munster has recorded five wins from six across three interpro tournaments on Saturday, and the U21 girls had hopes of being in the shake-up after putting 12 past Connacht and South East ahead of their clash with Ulster. However, strikes from Queens University’s Hannah McMillan – who hit five in four games to make a mockery of the fact she wasn’t in the initial Ulster panel – Michelle Harvey and Armagh’s Scarlett Holdsworth guided them to a 3-0 win. That was the start of a bad day for the southern province, which would go on to lose all six of the games it was involved in at U21 and junior level yesterday. Munster did put in a spirited performance against Leinster – going down 1-0 after Anna O’Flanagan struck midway through the first half – to end the tournament in third place. The U21 men’s team were consigned to the same fate after they failed to pick up a point in their one-day, blitz-style tournament. Skipper Roger Gray and Eddie Dore were on target against Leinster but it wasn’t enough to prevent a 3-2 defeat, before Ulster cruised to a 3-0 win. That left the final clash of the day between Ulster and Leinster as a straight shootout for the title, and Neil Hamilton’s flicked winner in the dying minutes gave Ulster a 3-2 win. Jason Lynch will be the only satisfied Munster-born player this morning, as he has now collected both the senior and U21 crowns with his adopted province. Ulster also chalked up another win at the women’s junior interpros at Jordanstown, thanks to a battling 1-0 win over Munster. Many expected the hosts to stroll to victory after steam-rolling South East on Saturday, but David Egner’s side did their best to spoil the party. The winner came on 16 minutes, when a rebound was worked to Julie McKnight on the back post after Munster netminder Caroline Levis had got down well to thwart a switched short corner. There were hearts in mouths for Ulster as Munster threw the kitchen sink at them in search of a late equaliser, but they held on to take the title on goal difference from Connacht, 4-0 winners over South East.

Munster’s day of misery was compunded at the junior men’s tournament at Hillsborough, where more goalscoring heroics from Fingal’s Chris Neville weren’t enough to take the title. From-behind wins over Connacht and Ulster on Saturday had put them in pole position, but they went down 3-1 to Leinster. Phil Ryan and Naas man Kieran Davenport’s two goals in three minutes did the damage; Neville – who finished the tournament with four to his name – pulled one back but Clontarf’s Rob Kelly stretched the lead to 3-1, which was how it stayed. Leinster subsequently saw off Ulster 2-0 to relegate Munster to second. Domestically, Cork Harlequins D completed a league and cup double, as strikes from Alan and Ivan Bateman and Stephen O’Donovan helped them to a 3-0 McLean Cup final win over Cork C of I E. The sides’ fifth and sixth teams respectively met in Division 3B with Quins running out 2-1 winners, while Bandon B handed Division 2 leaders C of I C a thumping first defeat of the season, winning 3-0 at home. Adrian Boehm’s pictures from Munster’s U21 games yesterday are available here (men) and here (women). For Emer and John Keogh’s pictures of the women’s tournament, click here while Stephen Findlater’s pictures of the U21 men’s match between Leinster and Ulster are here. Stephen West’s photos of the tournament are here.