Ulster capture senior title

HOCKEY: Ulster brought to an end what was, by their standards, an interprovincial drought at Garryduff yesterday by beating Munster 1-0 in the deciding game of the tournament to win their first senior title since 2001.

The hosts were just 12 minutes away from the draw they needed to win only their third senior crown in 12 years when Kirsty McCollum of Pegasus converted a penalty corner to clinch the three points Ulster required to top the table.

Leinster's hopes of retaining both senior and under-21 crowns ended on Saturday when, having already lost to Munster, the seniors could only draw with Ulster, having led 2-0 at half-time.

Teenage international Emma Stewart salvaged the point for Ulster - one that ultimately proved so significant - with two second-half goals. Her equaliser came with just four minutes to go, after Nikki Simmons and Zanya Dahl had put Leinster ahead.

Kristin Farrell, who has been a prolific scorer for Hermes in the Leinster League this season, got the only goal of the game for Munster in the second half against Connacht on Saturday, setting up yesterday's meeting with Ulster as the tournament decider.

End to end it was, too, with Stephen Watt's Ulster clearing a Munster effort of their line in the first half. But, with two of their internationals, Jill Orbinson and Bridget McKeever, at the centre of much of their best work, Ulster persevered, and finally got the breakthrough through McCollum.

Earlier in the day, the Leinster under-21 side won their third successive interprovincial title, topping the table by a point from Ulster. Annette Fortune's side went through the weekend unbeaten, only dropping points to South-East in yesterday's 1-1 draw.