Ultimately, Eddie Gash's touch to Robbie Ryan's last-minute short-corner shot for a 2-1 defeat of Ulster on Friday nignt resulted in Munster retaining the interprovincial laurels at Grange Road.

While Leinster succeeded in containing the champions to a 1-1 draw on Saturday, the home side could do no more than obtain another 1-1 share of the points with Ulster yesterday.

Leinster relished the tonic of taking the lead five minutes into the second half when a surge by Graham Shaw earned a penalty stroke for Paudie Carley to convert. Crucially, David Buchanan was prominent in preventing the margin from being increased.

Then Ulster - reduced to nine internationals because of the stern, one-match suspension of Alan Dowd - saved some pride in attacking strongly for Lee Tumilty to score defiantly.

The issue had been kept open on Saturday when Galahad Goulet lashed home a 67th minute equaliser against Munster. It was well deserved, for Gordon Elliott should have been credited with a goal at an earlier stage after Colin Hanna had dextrously put Munster ahead after a scoreless first half.

A feature of this game was the resilience of the back fours, in which Duncan McKeen excelled for Leinster while Richard Dorman appreciated not only the sturdy support of Ryan but also the two 18-year-old Munster defenders John Hobbs and Philip Smith.