Fortune favours Leinster side

WOMEN'S HOCKEY Under-21 interprovincials: Annette Fortune is developing something of a Midas touch in the Leinster under-21 set-up. Last year she coached the team to interprovincial success, beating defending champions Ulster to the title on goal difference. Now, over the weekend, her squad retained the crown, but this time on Ulster's home patch.

Once again only goal difference separated the provinces, but few disputed that Leinster were the team of the tournament - which had to be moved from Bangor to Ards due to flooding - and deserving winners.

Before yesterday's "decider" against the hosts, Leinster had cruised through their games, beating Munster 3-0 on Saturday, with Old Alexandra's Laura McCoy (two) and Christine Quinlan (UCD) getting the goals, before adding 6-1 and 7-0 victories over South East and Connacht, respectively, with McCoy doubling her tally for the tournament and Beth Maguire (Railway Union) scoring three in the two games and Róisín Flinn (UCD) two.

Ulster, though, had matched Leinster's progress, winning all three of their matches before the decisive tie, with their captain, Jessica Lynch of Loreto, top-scoring with five goals.

Going in to the final game, Leinster's goal difference was better by two, meaning Ulster had to win the match to regain the title. But, when Quinlan converted a short corner 15 minutes in to the second half to give Leinster the lead that target seemed nigh on unattainable for Ulster.

They did, though, set up a nervous climax for the eventual champions by equalising six minutes later through Kate McGee, when she turned home Jacqui McVicker's cross, but Leinster held on to win their third under-21 title in four years.

Munster, who beat South East 1-0 on Friday, before that 3-0 defeat to Leinster and a narrow loss to Ulster (2-3) on Saturday, secured third place by beating Connacht 1-0 yesterday, with Sarah Gleeson getting the goal.