Leinster capture title with emphatic victory

Leinster captured the Schools interprovincial crown by virtue of an overwhelming victory against Ulster at Donnybrook last night. With points difference coming into play this year, Leinster knew they had to beat Ulster by at least 17 points to beat off the challenge of Munster.

That advantage was in the bag after 19 minutes. Following Niall Murray's fourth minute penalty, flanker Andrew Cullen and number eight Shane Jennings went over for tries that Murray converted.

Although John McDonald struck a 28th minute Ulster penalty, international right wing James Norton crossed for another Leinster try just before the break for a 22-3 lead.

After the break, David Lennon's try, converted again by Murray, preceded a plethora of replacements that made the game that bit more disjointed but, there was never any chance of Ulster making significant inroads into the deficit.

Scorers: Leinster: J Norton, D Lennon, A Cullen, S Jennings tries, N Muray 3 penalties, 3 conversions. Ulster: N McClelland try, J McDonald penalty.

Leinster: N Murray (Belvedere); J Norton (St Mary's), K Lewis (St Mary's), G Duffy (St Mary's), C Buckley (Blackrock); D Crotty (Belvedere), B O'Riordan (Gonzaga); C Hussey (Clongowes), H Bourke (Clongowes), J Mont- gomery (Blackrock), D Lennon (Clongowes), A Buckley (Newbridge) T Carter (Terenure), A Cullen (Belvedere), S Jennings (St Mary's). Replacements: J O'Sullivan (Newbridge) for Buckley (47 mins), O Brady (Clongowes) for O Riordan (55 mins), P Smyth (Terenure) for Cullen (61 mins), F Baynes (St Michael's) for Duffy (61 mins).

Ulster: C Gibson (RBAI); J McDonald (Ballyclare HS), N McClelland (BRA), G Mitch- ell (MCB) A Maxwell (RBAI); J Cupitt (Sullivan Upper) M McCluggage (MCB); B Young (Ballymena Academy), D Campbell (Rainey ES) T Morton (Armagh RS), R Wilson (RBAI), G Brown (Armagh RS), M Healey (Wallace HS), N McMillen (BRA), M McCullough (Ballymena Academy). Replacements: I Humphries (Ballymena Academy) for Mitchell (42 mins), D Donnan (Wallace HS) for Morton (55 mins), R Badger for Healey (61 mins).

Referee: O Trevor (MRA).

Rugby fans attending the Ireland-South Africa international at Lansdowne Road today are being invited to contribute to the Omagh Fund established by the IRFU. The match programme gives details of two special bank accounts which have been set up for those wishing to make contributions. There will also be a minute's silence before the game.