Ulster, on home turf, made a resolute start to the youth interprovincial hockey championships at Blaris, Lisburn, yesterday, winning three matches and drawing one.
The under-16s, defending the title, beat Leinster 2-1 and then swept to a 4-0 defeat of Munster. At under-18 level, Ulster also defeated Leinster narrowly, 1-0, but had to be satisfied with a a scoreless deadlock against last season's champions Munster.
Mark Gleghorne gave Ulster the lead in the first minute of the opening junior match and although Gareth Watkins forced an equaliser for Leinster, the winner came from Allan Cranston as the home province gained the edge in the second half.
Two early goals by Ewan Butler set Ulster on their way against Munster and Gleghorne scored twice in the closing stages.
Defences were impressive in both senior matches. The only breakthrough was achieved by Brian Liggett for Ulster in taking the points from Leinster while Munster's rearguard was particularly sturdy in the final game of the day.
Competition continues over the next two days, with the sides playing each other twice, and there is the individual incentive of gaining places in the Ireland squads for the European championships on continental fields at Easter.
UNDER-16: Ulster 2 (M Gleghorne, A Cranston) Leinster 1 (G Watkins); Ulster 4 (E Butler 2, M Gleghorne 2) Munster 0. UNDER-18: Ulster 1 (B Liggett) Leinster 0; Ulster 0, Munster 0.
Colin Stewart, Corinthians' leading striker, and David Jenkins, the Monkstown captain, are flying out to Harare, after today's league matches in Dublin, to take part in a Zimbabwean inter-regional tournament. Both played there last summer.
