Leinster Schools beat Ulster Schools with 11 minutes to spare in the annual inter-provincial at Seapark. Bruce Whaley was introduced for his first bowl of the match and bowled Luca Bates with his first delivery, to take the ninth wicket. With the third ball of his third over, he bowled last man Matthew Kennedy to give the southern schools victory by the impressive margin of 128 runs.

The result was harsh on Jacob McClure-Dalzell who held out at the other end for 45 minutes, to finish 11 not out.  But in the end it was Leinster’s late charge in the third innings that proved decisive and Ethan Clarke’s perfectly timed declaration, leaving Ulster Schools the daunting task of scoring 250 to win the match.

Rob O’Brien had scored one of the rare centuries in the fixture, making the most of two chances to score 104 not out in Leinster’s second innings total of 241 for seven, in just 41 overs. Opening batter Clarke was the other main contributor with 76 while Evan Carlisle was the stand-out bowler with five for 34.

Resuming on day two on 107 for five, Ulster Schools captain Seb Yeates had created history on day one by becoming the first batter to score three successive 50s in the fixture – Peter Bates also scored three but not consecutively – but he was the first wicket of the day for 71 and the rest followed so quickly that Leinster had a first innings lead of eight.

Leinster Schools 165 (B Whaley 60, R O’Brien 36, R Keenan 20; R McCollam 3-16, E Carlisle 2-29, L Bates 2-30, L McKeown 2-33) and 241-7 dec (R O’Brien 104 not out, E Clarke 76, B Whaley 33; E Carlisle 5-34)

Ulster Schools 157 (S Yeates 71, R McCollam 26, L McKeown 21; B Dillon 3-32, R O’Brien 2-11, E Marshall 2-30) and 121 (E Harte 36, L McKeown 25; B Whaley 2-0, E Marshall 2-6, R O’Brien 2-32).

Leinster Schools won by 128 runs