Leinster & Connacht off to winning starts at Interpros

Connacht edged out defending champions Munster in a thriller while Leinster eased past Ulster on day one of the Interprovincial Championship at Tullamore Golf Club.

The top match ebbed and flowed all day as Connacht and Munster traded blows throughout the two sessions. Connacht held a one-point advantage after the morning foursomes and it was a lead they refused to relinquish as wins for Ronan Mullarney, Joe Lyons and Sean Flanagan in the singles secured a 6-5 win for the western province.

In the second match, powerhouses Leinster dominated the morning session to lead 4-0 heading into the afternoon before singles wins for Rowan Lester, Keith Egan, Hugh Foley and Alan Fahy secured an 8-3 victory for most people’s pre-tournament favourites. The action resumes in Tullamore tomorrow. Please find full scoring and tomorrow’s draw below.

Day One Results:

Munster 5 Connacht 6

Foursomes

P O’Keeffe & E Griffin bt R Mullarney & J McDonnell 5&4; G O’Mahony & S Desmond lost to J Lyons & S Walker 3&1; G Lenehan & P Murray lost to TJ Ford & S Flanagan 1 hole; A McCormack & C Butler halved with H Gillivan & A Hill.

Singles

P O’Keeffe halved with J McDonnell; E Griffin bt S Walker 1 hole; S Desmond lost to R Mullarney 4&3; G Lenehan bt H Gillivan 3&2; G O’Mahony lost to J Lyons 3&2;  P Murray bt TJ Ford 1 hole; C Butler lost to S Flanagan 5&4

Ulster 3 Leinster 8

Foursomes

T McLarnon & C Campbell lost to R Brazill & R Lester 1 hole; M McClean & M McKinstry lost to A Fahy & H Foley 5&3; R Williamson & J Hood lost to R Moran & G Dunne 2&1; R Black & W Small lost to P O’Hanlon & K Egan 1 hole

Singles

M McClean bt R Brazill 3&2; M McKinstry lost to R Lester 3&2; T McLarnon lost K Egan 2&1; R Williamson lost to H Foley 2 holes; C Campbell bt R Moran 3&1; R Black lost to A Fahy 2&1; J Hood bt P O’Hanlon 6&5

Day Two Draw: Thursday 29 August

0800 Connacht v Ulster

Foursomes

R Mullarney & J McDonnell v T McLarnon & C Campbell; J Lyons & S Walker v M McClean & M McKinstry; S Flanagan & TJ Ford v R Black & W Small; H Gillivan & A Hill v R Williamson & J Hood

0840 Munster v Leinster

Foursomes

P O’Keeffe & E Griffin v R Brazill & R Lester; A McCormack & G O’Mahony v H Foley & A Fahy; C Butler & S Desmond v R Moran & G Dunne; G Lenehan & P Murray v P O’Hanlon & K Egan

Singles in afternoon.