Munster pull off shock opening day wins

Munster pulled off a stunning win 2-1 over tournament favourites Leinster in an enthralling first series of matches at the U18 Interpros at Shaw’s Bridge in Belfast earlier today. Having gone down 2-0 to Ulster – for whom lethal Banbridge starlet Stephen Dowds netted twice – Stephen Jackson’s side went into their afternoon clash with the defending champions knowing defeat would likely end their interest in the competition.

Things weren’t looking good when Fingal’s Andrew Shekleton gave Leinster the lead, but Ashton student Stephen Swanton’s deflection haulted Munster level. They looked to have missed a golden opportunity to take the lead when St Andrews keeper Stephen West did well to save Karl Lynch’s penalty stroke, but Bandon’s Fionn O’Leary ensured it didn’t matter as he bagged the winner in the dying minutes. Meanwhile, the Munster U16s also had a result to savour, as they soaked up a ton of pressure from Ulster before Bandon’s Ben Scott hit the only goal of the game to record a notable 1-0 win. However, the fatigue from that huge effort told later on against a physically superior Leinster side, for whom five different players got on the scoresheet in a 5-0 win. The results nonetheless leave both tournaments wide open going into day two; the meetings of Ulster and Leinster in both competitions will give the Munster boys a better idea of what is required when they face the northern province tomorrow afternoon. Elsewhere, Cork Harlequins recorded a facile 9-0 victory over UCC at Harlequin Park in the Munster men’s Division One on Thursday night to draw level with Cork C of I at the top of the table. Dan Hobbs grabbed four of his side’s goals, Paul Lombard contributed a hat-trick and David Egner grabbed his second double in five days for Quins, who leapfrog C of I B into second place on goal difference. The result means College drop a place as their goal difference takes a battering for the second time this season, having gone down 10-0 to C of I on the opening day. The students now face a month of inactivity on the league front until December 20’s basement clash with Quins B, allowing them to focus on their Irish Trophy quarter-final meeting with NICS a week beforehand. A semi-final place and a spot in the draw for the Irish Senior Cup awaits the winners.