Ulster won the 2013 Women’s Interprovincial Matches at Castle Dargan. Picture by Pat CashmanUlster edged out holders Leinser for the Women’s Interprovincial Matches by virtue of their greater tally of matches won - 20 to 19.

After a tense final afternoon, both teams secured two and a half points overall but Ulster claimed the glory at Castle Dargan Golf Club near Sligo.

Leinster knew they needed to beat Connacht by a handsome margin in order to have any chance of retaining their title and started well with a clean sweep in the foursomes before taking the singles 5½-½ for a convincing 8½ to ½ win over the host province.

Ulster needed to defeat Munster by a 7-2 margin, however Munster want to redeem themselves after Thursday’s 6-3 loss to Leinster with a 6½ - 2½ that proved to be just enough to win on the matches won rule.

Sinead Sexton hits a fantastic approach to three feet at the 17th. Picture by Pat CashmanTop Munster pair Chloe Ryan and Sinead Sexton were dormie two down but birdied the 17th with a miraculous shot to three feet from the top of the rocks and also birdied 18 to halve against Leona and Lisa Maguire.

Paula Grant and Jessica Carty beat Emma O’Driscoll and Laura McCarthy 3 and 2 to give Ulster a slender 2-1 lead going into the singles as  Lucy Simpson and Jessica Ross drove out of bounds at the last to gift Munster’s Gillian O’Leary and Sarah Cunningham a halved match.

Women’s Interprovincial Matches, Castle Dargan Golf Resort, 3-5 April 2013

Final Points Table

1. Ulster 2½ (20 matches won)
2. Leinster 2½ (19 matches won)
3. Munster 1
4. Connacht 0

Day 3 - Friday 5th April

Munster 2½ - 6½ Ulster

Foursomes

Chloe Ryan & Sinead Sexton halved with Leona Maguire & Lisa Maguire

Emma O’Driscoll & Laura McCarthy lost to Paula Grant & Jessica Carty 3&2

Gillian O’Leary & Sarah Cunningham halved with Lucy Simpson & Jessica Ross

Singles

Sarah Cunningham lost to Leona Maguire 5&4

Emma O’Driscoll halved with Lisa Maguire

Laura McCarthy lost to Lucy Simpson 3&1

Chloe Ryan beat Victoria Bradshaw 2up

Sinead Sexton lost to Louise Coffey 2&1

Gillian O’Leary lost to Paula Grant 1up

It’s all about the swing for Ulster’s Jessica Carty and Leona Maguire. Picrture by Pat Cashman 

Connacht ½ - 8½ Leinster

Foursomes

Darragh McGowan & Shannon Burke lost to Amy Farrell & Carla Reynolds 6&5

Anne McCormack & Niamh Kitching lost to Karen Delaney & Maria Dunne 7&5

Fiona Moclair & Ann Cassidy lost to Aedin Murphy & Deirdre Smith 3&2

Singles

Suzanne Corcoran lost to Deirdre Smith 2&1

Clodagh Hopkins lost to Mary Doyle 7&5

Darragh McGowan lost to Maria Dunne 3&1

Shannon Burke lost to Carla Reynolds 3&2

Anne McCormack lost to Ariana Coyle Diez 1up

Ann Cassidy halved with Karen Delaney