WOMEN'S HOCKEY: After losing out to Leinster and Munster the past two years, Ulster reasserted themselves at under-21 level when they clinched the interprovincial title with a 6-1 victory over South East in the final game of the tournament in Kilkenny yesterday, beating defending champions Leinster to the title by a point.

After an edgy start to the weekend, when they drew 0-0 with Munster in their opening game, Erika Henry's team came good, beating Leinster 3-2 on Saturday, before finishing up with wins over Connacht (2-0) and South East yesterday.

Irish under-21 international Jessica Lynch (Ballymoney) was the tournament's top scorer, adding a hat-trick against South East to her double against Connacht earlier in the day.

Predictably, Ulster's win over Leinster on Saturday proved to be the decisive result of the tournament. Two goals from Kirsty McCollum gave Ulster a 2-0 half-time lead, before UCD's Kelly Whelan pulled a goal back for Leinster soon after the break.

Sarah Wilkinson restored Ulster's two-goal advantage, but they had to endure a nervous final six minutes after Carol McGowan narrowed the lead again.

Ulster held on, though, to avenge last year's 2-0 defeat by Leinster, a result that secured Leinster the title.

Before losing to Ulster on Saturday, Leinster had beaten South East 3-2, with goals from Nikki Symmons and sisters Rachel and Nikki Keegan, before taking six points from their games against Munster and Connacht yesterday, with Rachel Keegan adding two more to her tally against Munster.

Munster finished in third place, followed by South East and Connacht.

Twenty-nine players have been invited by coach Stephen Jackson to trials for the Irish under-21 team, due to compete in the European Under-21 B Division Championships in Prague in August.

UNDER-21 TOURNAMENT (at Kilkenny College) - Saturday: South East 2 (S Connery, S Doyle), Connacht 1 (S McDonald); Ulster 0, Munster 0; South East 2 (K Kelly, S Doyle), Leinster 3 (N Keegan, R Keegan, N Symmons); Munster 1 (S O'Leary), Connacht 0; Leinster 2 (K Whelan, C McGowan), Ulster 3 (K McCollum 2, S Wilkinson). Yesterday - Leinster 3 (R Keegan 2, N Symmons), Munster 2 (L Keane 2); Connacht 0, Ulster 2 (J Lynch 2); South East 0, Munster 1 (E Cregan); Leinster 3 (C McGowan, N Symmons, K Whelan), Connacht 1 (M Mannion); South East 1 (L Byrne), Ulster 6 (J Lynch 3, K McCollum, S Wilkinson, N Graham).