30 May 2005 Leinster take Interprovincial Crown Share this Article 0 0 0 Shares! 0 Shares! Leinster Take Interprovincial Crown All roads led to St Lomans Mullingar at the weekend as all four Provinces battled it out for 2005 Interprovincial crown and the Mick Talbot Cup. In the end it was to be title number eight for the Leinster girls and with it end Munsters aim for a third successive title. The action kicked off on Saturday as each side played each other over 40 minute games. The conditions were terrible with a gale force wind throughout not making it ideal for good football. Despite this all four sides put on some very exciting displays but in the end it was both Munster and Leinster that progressed unbeaten and into the cup final. This of course left Ulster and Connacht into the Shield decider. The weather conditions to greet the sides on Sunday morning were much better as the sun came out and with it we were treated to two very good finals. Ulster 1-13 Connacht 2-07 Ulster recovered from losing all three games on Saturday to take their 2nd Shield back home with a cracking second half display. The girls from the West were slow off the blocks as a Victoria Mallet goal set Ulster on their way after 10 minutes. However helped by goals from Christina Heffernan and Niamh Fahy (penalty) Connacht deservedly led at the interval by 2-05 to 1-02. It was to be a different story after the resumption as Ulster showed the football they were capable of but did not show the previous day. They rallied themselves and came out to completely dominate the second period and hold Connacht to just two points with a great defensive display. While at the other end the kicked some wonder scores from players like Nadine Doherty, Michaela Downey and Caroline OHanlon. Scorers: Ulster: Michaela Downey 0-04, Victoria Mallet 1-00, Nadine Doherty, Niamh Kindlon, Caroline OHanlon 0-02 each, Shauna OHagan, Aisling Tierney, Alma ODonnell 0-01 each Connacht: Christina Heffernan 1-01, Cora Staunton 0-03, Niamh Fahy 1-00, Patricia Gleeson, Caroline Conway, Annette Clarke 0-01 each Leinster 1-11 Munster 2-06 A scoring spree from both Mary Nevin and Simone Gilabert earned Leinster their first Interprovincial crown since 1998 at a sun drenched St Lomans on Sunday. Both sides had played out a draw in the Saturdays meeting and again it looked we could well be in for much of the same in a very evenly and exciting decider. Kildares Gilabert rattled over two early points to settle the eventual winners down. The response was quick at the other end as Kacey O Driscoll pointed and Deirdre O Reilly hit the net. Gilabert hit back with a goal at the other end but back came Aisling OConnor with Munster second goal soon after. With the game swinging from one end to the other it was no surprise they went in at the break level at Munster 2-04 Leinster 1-07. The second period was to see both defences on top as they cancelled each other out. Valerie Mulcahy edged Munster in front but that was to be the only point for some time of a very low scoring second half. Both sides missed some glorious chances and Mulcahy also brought the best out of Cliona O Connor in the Leinster goal. Finally a wonder point from Eadaoine Lenihan levelled matters with Leinster first score of the half. Mary Nevin and Niamh Briggs exchanged points before a brace from Nevin in the closing minutes took the title to Leinster and stop a three in a row for Munster. Scorers: Leinster: Simone Gilabert 1-04, Mary Nevin 0-06, Eadaoine Lenihan 0-01 Munster: Aisling OConnor 1-01, Deirdre OReilly 1-00, Kacey ODriscoll 0-02, Juliette Murphy, Valerie Mulcahy, Niamh Briggs 0-01 each Alan Gunn (PR Committee) Share this Article 0 0