nter Provincial Rounders Final (Mixed Teams) - After two seasons out of the limelight

Ulster 20 runs Leinster 3 runs
Sunday's excellent playing conditions allowed for a series of superb hitting and fielding displays, in the Inter Provincial Rounders Final, organised by the GAA's Comhairle Cluiche Corr, at Pairc Ciaran, Athlone.

Ulster won the toss and and fielded. Number one for the Leinster side, Ger Proctor, was beaten to first base in a first class play, for the first out. Gillian Dwyer easily earned first base. Number three Colm Brennan uncharacteristically slipped his third hit into foul ground for the second out. Vicky Hennessy swung miiliseconds late and the sliotar popped high over the catcher's box where Ulster catcher Fionnuala Ni Thuatain had no bother making the catch for the third out and then stepping forward to seal off home base to prevent a score being made. Dympna Reilly and Stephen Coey had no bother getting to first base. Number three Niamh Brennan mishit a high shot near second base and Leinster guest fielder Rosaleen Reilly took the catch. Dympna Reilly finished the 100 metre tour of the bases for a nice first run of the match. Philip Brady placed the ball well outfield and home came Stephen Coey. Fionnuala Ni Thuatain put all her strength under the ball and it flew very high above second base and Rosaleen Reilly was happy to take her second catch. Two out!

Oige Brady made first base, Áine Brady copied and the bases were loaded for Sean Hughes's turn to bat. The pitcher, Stephen Coey, gave Sean a fast ball on the third strike and the play took out first base before Sean could get there. In the meantime, Philip Brady was reading the game well and was sprinting through home base to earn Ulster's third run.

The second innings was very similar to the first, Ulster winning again 3-0. Leinster's Nicky Brennan hit hard through centre field, well out, but Philip Brady rushed in under the ball and Nicky was out. Paddy Delaney failed to make first base in a superb passing display in which a very accurate long throw from left field arrived in Dympna Reilly's hands with Paddy still inches off first base, and Paddy had nowhere to go, but back to the batters' bench. Pauline Ryan a guest player and third base minder for the Leinster team placed the ball low and close to the left foul line and easily earned occupation of first base. Rosaleen Reilly repeated. Ger Proctor swung too soon on his third strike and the ball went foul for the third out.

Ulster started again with number one Dympna Reilly who took first base in a text book sprint through the base. Stephen Coey again placed the ball short into an outfield spce ,and Dympna advanced to second base while Stephen made first. Ciotóg Niamh Brennan gave the fielder something to run for and the bases were loaded. Philip Brady hit a mighty shot high over the centrefield area and home came Dympna and Stephen, but the ball was held by Paddy Delaney and Philip was heading back to the bench. In one of her season's best hits, Fionnuala Ni Thuatain almoist hit the left field fence. Nicky Brennan sprinted to the ball to make one of the best catches of the day, and the second out. Niamh Brennan came in from second base for a third score. Oige Brady found a hole in the outfield and the ball soared well away from the defenders. Oige went on automatic pilot and burned up the bases, at least three of them. His eagerness wasn't enough, for the opposition kept their cool and the ball plopped into catcher Ger Proctor's hands right on home base with Oige just a few centimetres from making a great home run. The out mattered and the inning was over - the score 6-0.

Ulster fielding in the third innings was perfect, the first three batters going out in wonderful passing displays to first base. And the northern side improved in their offensive plays, making five runs before Oige Brady became the third out in a mis-hit which flopped back into the catcher's hands. Áine Brady scored on a well placed strike by Dympna Reilly, after Sean Hughes had popped the ball rather high towards the pitcher, Colm Brennan, who had no bother holding the catch. Dympna and Stephen Coey finished their four base tour on another Philip Brady 'poc fada' this time to right of centrefield. Fionnuala Ni Thuatain failed to get to first base, but in the process two runners adavanced one base (25 metres) each. Oige stepped up to bat with lots of confidence, and two runners on base. Colm Brennan pitched a fast but straight ball and Oige zipped the ball outfield again, but this time the ball was held and the innings was over.

Leinster improved in the fourth innings to earn their first score, Nicky Brennan making the full tour in easy stages, while Paddy Delaney skimmed the ball backwards for a fine catch by Fionnuala Ni Thuatain, and Pauline Ryan in one of her best hits ever tested Philip Brady's athleticism and catching skills well out to left field. Rosaleen Reilly placed the ball strategically to close to first base, and she had to retire in the third out, while Nicicky Brennan eaced through home base. Ulster loaded the bases, for Stephen Coey's 'at bat'. Stephen got a perfect hit almost, and the ball was held in a superb fielding effort by Nicky Brennan, who made the catch and doubled the ball to home base to stop the Ulster offensive on one in one out, Aine Brady the scorer. Niamh Brennan stayed safe, and next hitter Philip Brady earned Sean Hughes his first run. Fionnuala Ni Thuatain copied and home came Dympna Reilly. Oige Brady once more found the outfield and home came Niamh Brennan and Philip Brady. Aine Brady went on base winning another run. Dympna Reilly became the second out when she eased the ball directly to Rosaleen Reilly's hands for a good catch near second base. Fionnuala Ni Thuatain took her eye off the ball and popped a neat catch to Colm Brennan, now serving as catcher, and the match looked fairly safely in the Ulster 'bag'.

In the final innings Leinster lost two batters at first base, but then got a lucky break from the next two hitters, Colm and Nicky Brennan. Paddy Delaney hit well but too close to second base and the ball was held for a third out. The Brennan boys were awarded runs and the match ended with Ulster well ahead on twenty runs. Leinster had scored only three. Aine Brady the Ulster 3rd. Base player was the only player not put during the match.

Sean (Oige) Brady topped the Runs Batted In (RBI) table with four runs on four hits, and Philip Brady was next with five runs earned on seven hits (0.714), and his catching displays were amongst the best this season.

RBIs for other players were: Sean Og Brady (4/4) 1.000, Rosaleen Reilly 0.500, Dympna Reilly 0.400, Niamh Brennan 0.400, Fionnuala Ni Thuatain 0.400, Stephen Coey 0.250, Aine Brady 0.250, Sean Hughes 0.250. Teams and Scores: Leinster: Ger Proctor 0, Gillian Dwyer 0, Colm Brennan 1, Vicky Hennessy 0, Nicky Brennan 2, Paddy Delaney 0, Pauline Ryan o, Rosaleen reilly 0. Ulster: Dympna Reilly 4, Stephen Coey 3, Niamh Brennan 3, Philip Brady 3, Fionnuala Ni Thuatain 1, Oige Brady 1, Aine Brady 3, Sean Hughes 2 *****

Ulster Back;Dympna Reilly, Sean Og Brady, Philip Brady (all three Earne Eagles, An Cabhan), Stephen Coey (N. Mhichil, Doire), Rosaleen Reilly (An Cabhan). Front; Niamh Brennan (An Cabhan), Fionnuala Ni Thuatain (N. Mhichil, Doire), Aine Brady (An Cabhan) and Pauline O' Hagan (N. Mhairtin, Doire).


Leinster players: Colm Brennan, Paddy Delaney, Nicky Brennan, Vicky Hennessy, Gillian Dwyer and Ger Proctor. (all Cuchulainn, Carlow)