Dom Joyce made a successful return to Interprovincial action after an 11-year gap as his 86 from 71 balls got Leinster Lightning off to a winning start in the defence of their 50-over title with a bonus-point win over the North West Warriors in Rathmines yesterday.

Chasing a small target of 212 for victory, Leinster didn’t spare the horses, with Joyce and Merrion teammate John Anderson (27) adding 59 in 37 balls for the second wicket. The key partnership was then formed between Joyce and Andrew Poynter (61), the pair putting on 116 before Joyce fell 16 shy of a century.

Earlier, a young Warriors side including four teenagers was reduced to 21 for four as Ireland bowler Max Sorensen took four wickets, with Ireland under-19 batsman Gary McClintock (62) and Warriors skipper Andy McBrine (48) scoring runs down the order to get their side past 200.