Dahl rolls in equaliser for Leinster

HOCKEY/Interprovincials: Leinster, the defending women's champions, had to twice come from behind against Munster in the opening game of this season's tournament at Grange Road last night, finally earning a point through Zanya Dahl in a 3-3 draw.

Dahl's Old Alexandra team-mate Anya Bowers had given Leinster an early lead, in what proved to be the only goal from open play of the six, but Irish international Elaine Bromell levelled shortly before half-time. From then Munster had, marginally, the better of an all-action game in which both sides forced a stream of short corners.

Eimear Cregan, influential throughout, was thwarted by Leinster goalkeeper Louisa Healy before Karen Bateman put Munster 2-1 up soon after the break from another short corner.

Leinster, for whom Dahl and Linda Caulfield impressed, replied, however, with Dahl the first to the rebound from an Alison Lappin save from a corner. But, again, Munster restored their lead through Catholic Institute's Stephanie Hall, from another set-piece.

With 11 minutes to go Dahl struck again, from another corner rebound, to square the match, one Leinster may well have won if not for a vital clearance from a corner in the dying seconds by Church of Ireland's Karen Hales.

In the second women's game of the evening Ulster trounced Connacht 7-0, with Armagh teenager Hannah Bowe, whose brother Tommy made his rugby debut for Ireland last weekend, top-scoring with a hat-trick. Ulster led 2-0 at half-time, both goals scored by Bowe, before Lynsey McVicker, Clare Parkhill, Nikki McCaughern, Bowe again and Suzanne Beaney completed the scoring.

Meanwhile Leinster and Munster who, until a fortnight ago, looked set to boycott the event, met in the opening game of the men's tournament, in which Ulster are the overwhelming favourites. One goal decided the match, Pembroke Wanderers' John Jermyn firing a smartly worked short corner past Ian Clarke in the 18th minute to give Munster the points.

Leinster's hopes of a late comeback weren't helped by Graham Shaw's yellow card, for a body-check, 10 minutes from time, with Jermyn also sin-binned in the closing stages.

Fixtures: Women: Today - Connacht v Leinster, 11.0; Munster v Ulster, 1.0. Tomorrow - Connacht v Munster, 10.0; Leinster v Ulster, 2.30. Men: Today - Munster v Ulster, 3.0. Tomorrow: - Leinster v Ulster, 12.0.