Interprovincials:Who was the happiest man at County Louth yesterday?

Was it John Carroll, captain of the Munster side that won the Golfsure-sponsored Interprovincials for the first time in a decade on a countback from Leinster? Or was it 35-year-old Joe Lyons, who took just half a point from his six matches with Connacht but learned after the finish he was to join Cian Curley, Paul Cutler and Paul O'Hanlon in making his senior international debut in the forthcoming Home Internationals at Baltray?

Perhaps the happiest man of all was Ireland team captain Michael Burns, who was delighted with the standard of play he saw all week and confident, despite the loss of Rory McIlroy and Richard Kilpatrick to professional golf, he has a side capable of building on Ireland's European Team Championship success when the home nations meet at Co Louth from September 19th to 21st.

"We've lost Rory and Richard but we have players who can take up the baton," Burns said. "Rory has been a great ambassador for Irish golf and raised the game of the rest of the players. We have a very experienced panel . . . including four of the six-man squad that won the European Team title in Scotland last month.

"We certainly hope to use the advantage we have gained by playing the interprovincial matches at Co Louth to our benefit in the Home Internationals."

The title headed south-west for the first time since 1997 when Munster beat Connacht 8½-4½ on a nail-biting final day.

Leinster beat Ulster 7-6 in the other match, but the title went to Carroll's Munster blend of youth and experience on countback - 22 matches to 21.

Carroll said, "Junior Morris was outstanding, remaining unbeaten. Peter O'Keeffe won two big singles and took three points with Pat Murray in the foursomes. The experience of guys like Junior, Pat and Karl Bornemann definitely helped the team, and it was great to have Clancy Bowe back in the side."

IRELAND TEAM(for Home Internationals at Co Louth GC, September 19th-21st): Jonathan Caldwell (Clandeboye), Darren Crowe (Dunmurry), Cian Curley (Newlands), Paul Cutler (Portstewart), Niall Kearney (Royal Dublin), Shane Lowry (Esker Hills), Joe Lyons (Galway), Pat Murray (Limerick), Paul O'Hanlon (Curragh), Gareth Shaw (Lisburn), Simon Ward (Co Louth). Captain: Michael Burns (Tramore). First reserve: Cian McNamara (Limerick); Second reserve: Neil O Briain (Royal Dublin).