HOCKEY: Cathy McKean gave watching Irish assistant coach Sally Bell food for thought when she scored all the goals as Leinster opened their account with a 4-1 victory over title holders Munster, who missed former internationals Karen Bateman and Rachel Kohler, who were unavailable.

Meanwhile, Munster were indebted to Dave Eakins, who got both goals as his team began with a 2-1 win over Leinster in the corresponding men's game.

Gordon Elliott had put Leinster in front after only three minutes but Eakins equalised from a penalty corner as the sides went into the interval on level terms.

In a robust game the Cork Harlequins player was one of three sent to the sin-bin (the others being team mate John Ahern and Leinster's Ronan Gormley).

However, Eakins made amends for his earlier indiscretion when, with nine minutes remaining, he grabbed the winner from another set piece to put Munster into a commanding overnight position.

In the women's encounter all McKean's goals came from set plays, the first after four minutes before Nan Kearney equalised for the holders.

The Loreto striker and Leinster captain added two further goals from corners in the space of seven minutes after the break to complete her hat-trick and then scored again to round off a comfortable victory with a 58th-minute penalty stroke.

Ulster, meanwhile, made an impressive start to their senior interprovincial campaign last night at the Queen's University Sports complex with wins for both their men's and ladies' sides.

The men were comfortable 3-0 winners over the Shamrocks (Irish under-21s) while the ladies scored two goals without reply against Connacht.

While the Shamrocks are merely making up the numbers and no points were awarded, the ladies' game was more significant. Ulster faltered in the corresponding game last season when they were held to a 2-2 draw but made no mistake this time.

Ironically, it was a girl who plays her hockey in the south who did the damage, as UCD's Jessica Lynch hit both the goals, one in each half, both from well-executed penalty corners.

On the half hour Lynch stole in at the far post to deflect Pamela Magill's pass into the net past Tara Browne.

Three minutes after the restart the Ireland under-21 striker added number two with a carbon copy of her first effort, this time, though, the ball finishing high into the net.