Leinster reel in plucky Munster to clinch title win

CLASS, youth and fitness made all the difference at Athlone yesterday when Leinster won the Golfsure Interprovincial Championship for the first time since 2004 by beating Munster 7-6 in an enthralling decider.

A massive upset was very much on the cards at lunchtime with Munster leading 3-1 after the foursomes. That left Leinster needing six of the afternoon nine singles and they just about achieved it. Still, even their captain Frank Gannon was a worried man for the first 90 minutes or so as Munster sought to build on their surprise advantage from the morning.

However, things gradually swung in favour of Leinster and they won a shade more easily than the scoreline suggests. In truth, any other outcome would have constituted a shattering blow to the status quo in the country. After all, Leinster fielded the Close champion Paul O’Hanlon as well as the winners of the four provincial championships, Shane Lowry (West and North), Niall Kearney (South) and Eoin Arthurs (East).