Leinster made the perfect start to their defence of the AIB Ladies' Interprovincial Championship with an 8 1/2 to 1 1/2 win over Munster at the Island yesterday.

On a day marked by sunshine, showers and a 60-minute delay for lightning in the afternoon, the reigning champions looked to be in no mood for taking prisoners as they bid to take the title for the eighth year in a row.

In the morning foursomes the partnerships of Elaine Dowdall and Hazel Kavanagh, Deirdre Smith and Martina Gillen, and Jenny Gannon and Sinead Keane proved too strong for Munster as they won all three ties.

But in fairness to Munster, it was more of as struggle after lunch with Elaine Dowdall, dormie three up on the 16th tee, only scraping home at the 18th after Claire Coughlan had won the 16th and the 17th.

Co. Louth's Jenny Gannon was two up on Tricia Mangan at the turn but had to settle for a half while Maura Morrin went down 3 and 2 to former Irish Close champion Eileen Rose Power while Sinead Keane and Hazel Kavanagh were taken to the 18th before winning their matches by the minimum expression, one up.

And it wasn't easy either for Deirdre Smith and Martina Gillen as they were forced to fight for 3 and 2 wins over the feisty Bridget Gleeson-Healy and Sheila Galvin respectively in the worst of the rain late in the afternoon.

Ulster, meanwhile, got their campaign underway in style, beating Connacht 2-1 in the foursomes and 4-3 in the singles for a 6-4 victory. In the foursomes, Irish Close champion Alison Coffey partnered Helen Jones to a 5 and 3 win over Suzanne Corcoran and Michelle Holmes before firing five birdies on her way to a 6 and 5 singles win over the hapless Holmes in the afternoon.

While Emma Dickson and Bronagh Lunney could only halve their matches, and Connacht stalwarts Darragh McGowan and Ann Geoghegan beat Caroline Smyth and Joanne Black respectively, a 6 and 5 win for Jill McAuley over Deirdre Judge in the anchor match ensured an Ulster victory.

Connacht 4; Ulster 6

Foursomes: Connacht 1; Ulster 2 S. Corcoran and M. Holmes lost to A. Coffey and H. Jones 5 and 3; E. MacMullen and D. McGowan bt B. Lunney and J. McAuley 4 and 3; A. Geoghegan and D. Judge lost to E. Dickson and J. Black 8 and 6.

Singles: Connacht 3; Ulster 4. M. Holmes lost to A. Coffey 6 and 5; L. O'Brien lost to H. Jones 3 and 2 S. Corcoran halved with E. Dickson; E. MacMullen halved with B. Lunney; D. McGowan bt C. Smyth 2 and 1; A. Geoghegan bt J. Black 3 and 2; D. Judge lost to J. McAuley 6 and 5.

Leinster 8 1/2; Munster 1 1/2

Foursomes: Leinster 3; Munster 0. E. Dowdall and H. Kavanagh bt C. Coughlan and T. Mangan 4 and 2; D. Smith and M. Gillen bt B. Gleeson-Healy and E-R Power 2 and 1; J. Gannon and S. Keane bt M. Riordan and M. Sheehy 2 and 1.

Singles: Leinster 5 1/2; Munster 1 1/2. E. Dowdall bt C. Coughlan 1 up; J. Gannon halved with T. Mangan; M. Morrin lost to E. R. Power 3 and 2; D. Smith bt B. Gleason-Healy 3 and 2; M. Gillen bt S. Galvin 3 and 2; S. Keane bt M. Riordan 1 up; H. Kavanagh bt M. Sheehy 1 up

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© Brian Keogh 2001

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