Leinster put Gary Cullen╣s defection of Thursday well behind them to beat Ulster 7-6 yesterday and win the Golfsure sponsored Interprovincial championship in exciting fashion at Killarney.

The controversy over Cullen's decision to leave the Leinster camp in fit of pique after his non- selection was quickly forgotten in a tremendous tussle between Padraig Hogan╣s Leinster and the defending champions.

Needing only a halved match to clinch the title on a countback, Leinster put the matter beyond all doubt when young Eoin O'Sullivan, one of two debutants in the side, took a half from his game with Robert Forsythe to ensure Leinster's seventh point and a clean sweep of victories over the other provinces.

Munster beat Connacht 8-5 to avoid the wooden spoon and finish in third place but the day belonged to a Leinster side that was brilliantly captained by Hogan for the first time.

Level 2-2 after the foursomes, Leinster required just four and half points from the singles to wrest the championship from Ulster's grasp.

Indeed, an unsteady start saw Justin Kehoe, Gavin McNeill and Michael McDermott all trail early on before Leinster started to get a grip on proceedings.

Portmarnock duo Noel Fox and Adrian Morrow proved to be the stalwarts with Fox beating Stuart Paul at the 17th before Morrow made sure of another point with a one hole win over Michael McGeady.

When another of the Leinster debutants, Balbriggan's Robert Cannon, claimed a vital scalp when he beat Gareth Maybin 2 and 1, Leinster were tantalisingly close to the magic number.

Kehoe eventually halved with Andrew McCormick on the 18th after a tremendous tussle and it only remained for anchor man Mark Campbell to close out Chris Moriarty by 4 and 3 to ensure Leinster could not be beaten and claim the trophy for the first time since their victory at Portstewart in 1998.

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