Railway Cup Hurling semi-finals: A scoring blitz by Leinster at the start of each half knocked Ulster for six in yesterday's Railway Cup hurling semi-final at Casement Park, as they finished easy winners.

Leinster opened with an unanswered goal and three points inside seven minutes and led 2-8 to 1-4 at the interval.

Ulster's hopes of a good start after the break were dashed as Tommy Walsh, Rory Jacob and Henry Shefflin fired home three goals inside nine minutes.

When Kilkenny's towering full-forward Shefflin rocketed in his second goal in the 39th minute to send his team into a commanding 5-10 to 1-5 lead the game was as good as over.

During the first half, the Ulster defence, with half backs Michael McCambridge, Karl McKeegan and Ciarán Herron in fine form, withstood much pressure from the opposition and battled hard to prevent many more scores.

However, there was a weakness in the Ulster attack which failed to make headway against the likes of Brian Whelahan, Noel Hickey and goalkeeper James McGarry, who was alert to cut out danger.

Winger Brian McFall gave the home side a lifeline with a goal in the 31st minute after Gareth Johnson knocked the ball into his path but more was needed.

Johnson did prod home another goal for Ulster, after his Down colleague Paul Braniff hit the inside of a post, on 41 minutes but that score only served to put a better look on the scoreboard.

Now after 22 meetings in the Railway Cup hurling competition the list reads 21-1 in Leinster's favour as the winners head off to Rome next month for the final against Connacht. Yesterday's game was little more than a warm-up for the visitors to Casement Park.

LEINSTER: J McGarry (Kilkenny); M Kavanagh (Kilkenny), N Hickey (Kilkenny), D Franks (Offaly); L Dunne (Wexford), B Whelahan (Offaly), S Hiney (Dublin); C Keaney (Dublin) (0-1), D Lyng (Kilkenny); T Walsh (Kilkenny) (1-2), J Hoyne (Kilkenny) (1-1), R Hanniffy (Offaly) (0-2); R Jacob (Wexford) (1-1), H Shefflin (Kilkenny) (2-4, two points from frees), B Carroll (Offaly) (0-3). Subs: J Young (Laois) (0-1) for Keaney (50 mins), D Hyland (Wicklow) (0-1) for Carroll (50 mins), D Ryan (Wexford) for Hickey (51 mins), D Ruth (Wexford) for Whelahan (53 mins), G Hanniffy (Offaly) for Walsh (53 mins).

ULSTER: G Clarke (Down); M Kittle (Antrim), E McKeever (Derry), J Campbell (Antrim); M McCambridge (Antrim), K McKeegan (Antrim), C Herron (Antrim) (0-1, from a 65); J Connolly (Antrim), G Biggs (Derry); L Watson (Antrim) (0-1), C McGuckian (Antrim) (0-1), P Richmond (Antrim); B McFall (Antrim) (1-2), G Johnson (Down) (1-1), P Braniff (Down) (0-3). Subs: M Herron (Antrim) for Biggs (37 mins), A Delargy (Antrim) (0-1) for Richmond) (44 mins), D Quinn (Antrim) for Johnson (54 mins).

Referee: S Roche (Tipperary).