Disciplined, clinical performances gave Ulster three 1-0 wins at Grange Road over the weekend, enough to secure them their fourth successive senior interprovincial title. Connacht, though, are entitled to lay claim to a share of the `team of the tournament' tag after they produced their finest ever displays under new coach Orla Bell to finish level on points with Leinster.
After the 5-2 goal-fest that was Friday's opening game between Leinster and Munster, defences and midfields took a grip of the tournament with four of the next five games being settled by a single goal and the other ending scoreless. While all four provinces fielded talented, skilful forwards, any threat they posed was, for the most part, nullified by their respective markers. Defences, in short, were well and truly on top.
"In some respects we played the least attractive hockey in this tournament but it was the most effective," said Ulster caoch Graham Quincey, after Tamara Stronge's goal had given the province victory over Leinster yesterday, when a draw would have sufficed to clinch them the title.
The game followed much the same pattern as Ulster's win over Munster. After taking first-half leads, the rearguard of Arlene Boyles, Julie Stewart, Katherine Maybin and Claire McGookin proved invincible with Pamela Magill providing an added shield in centre-midfield. Munster and Leinster huffed and puffed for most of their second halves against Ulster but on the rare occasion she was called upon goalkeeper Angela Platt dealt comfortably with whatever was fired at her.
Left-back Maybin's form was promptly rewarded with a call-up to the Irish squad by coach Riet Kuper, who was also sufficiently impressed by Leinster winger Nikki Symmons and Munster forward Elaine Bromell to add them to her panel. If Ulster were the least attractive but most effective team in the tournament, Munster were probably the most exciting to watch - but were punished for their sense of attacking adventure. They finished pointless after losing to Connacht yesterday, with Tara Browne brilliantly saving Sarah Kelleher's penalty stroke to preserve the lead given her team by Jo Morris's first-half strike from a short corner.
In past tournaments Connacht gave the impression that they were beaten even before their games started - Bell, clearly, encouraged them to ditch that sense of defeatism. After losing 1-0 to Ulster they defended marvellously to draw 0-0 with Leinster before beating Munster. Claire Deacy was simply immense for them at the back, as were young right-back Claire Larkin and Orla Ryan, while Browne consistently demonstrated why she is the first-choice Irish goalkeeper.
It proved to be a disappointing tournament for Leinster who, while probably fielding the most talented group of players, never quite added up to the sum of their parts. Caitriona Carey, Nikki Symmons, Trish Conway and Jenny Burke all produced wonderful attacking cameos but, combined, could find no way through defiant Connacht and Ulster defences.
