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Inter-provincial tournament, 1990-2002

By Gary Watton
April 19 2013

This is a trip down memory lane to the Irish inter-provincial rugby contests of the 1990s and slightly beyond. With the advent of professional rugby during this decade, the Inter-Provincial championship gradually lost its appeal, as the provinces sought to ply their trade on a wider, European stage, as well as competing against each other in the newly-formed Celtic League from 2001. Meanwhile, The Exiles made an incursion into the Inter-Provincial tournament for four years, but they never once managed to beat the triumvirate of Leinster, Munster, and Ulster.

1989-1990

Ulster beat Leinster 14-6

Munster beat Leinster 10-3

Leinster beat Connacht 16-12

Ulster beat Munster 13-10

Ulster beat Connacht 38-3

Munster beat Connacht 14-10

FINAL TABLE

Ulster 6 points [Unstoppable Ulster claimed all three scalps again for the fifth time in six unbeaten years.]

Munster 4 points

Leinster 2 points

Connacht 0 points

1990-1991

Ulster beat Leinster 13-6

Munster beat Leinster 27-12

Leinster beat Connacht 20-18

Ulster beat Munster 19-15

Ulster beat Connacht 16-9

Munster beat Connacht 19-18

FINAL TABLE

Ulster 6 points [The white knights monopolised this tournament with another unblemished campaign.]

Munster 4 points

Leinster 2 points

Connacht 0 points

1991-1992

Ulster beat Leinster 22-21

Munster beat Leinster 20-3

Leinster beat Connacht 24-9

Ulster beat Munster 37-22

Connacht drew with Ulster 10-10

Munster beat Connacht 15-9

FINAL TABLE

Ulster 5 points [Unfancied Connacht stopped unbeaten Ulster completing yet another triple whammy.]

Munster 4 points

Leinster 2 points

Connacht 1 point

1992-1993

Ulster beat Leinster 12-8

Leinster beat Munster 21-20

Connacht beat Leinster 28-9

Ulster beat Munster 12-11

Ulster beat Connacht 19-6

Munster beat Connacht 20-10

Leinster beat The Exiles 16-14

Ulster beat The Exiles 16-13

The Exiles beat Munster 19-13

The Exiles beat Connacht 17-12

FINAL TABLE

Ulster 8 points [Remarkably, all-conquering Ulster were still too superior to the other protagonists.]

Leinster and The Exiles 4 points

Connacht and Munster 2 points

1993-1994

Leinster beat Ulster 25-0 [This was Ulster's first inter-provincial defeat since 1983-1984, ten years ago.]

Munster beat Leinster 21-19

Leinster beat Connacht 15-11

Ulster beat Munster 24-21

Ulster beat Connacht 39-10

Munster beat Connacht 15-9

Leinster beat The Exiles 13-8

Ulster beat The Exiles 21-3

Munster beat The Exiles 34-19

The Exiles beat Connacht 41-12

FINAL TABLE

Leinster and Munster and Ulster 6 points

The Exiles 2 points

Connacht 0 points

1994-1995

Leinster beat Ulster 12-6

Munster beat Leinster 36-14

Connacht beat Leinster 20-19

Munster beat Ulster 17-16 [This was Munster's first win against Ulster since the 1980-1981 season.]

Ulster beat Connacht 20-6

Munster beat Connacht 60-20

Leinster beat The Exiles 20-18

Ulster beat The Exiles 42-16

Munster beat The Exiles 46-8

The Exiles beat Connacht 35-9

FINAL TABLE

Munster 8 points [Munster achieved their first clean sweep since the late 1970s, with 159 total points.]

Leinster and Ulster 4 points

Connacht and The Exiles 2 points

1995-1996

The Exiles 28 Connacht 22; 25th November

Ulster 14 Munster 10; 25th November

[Try for Ulster from Mackey]

[Try for Munster from Walsh]

Connacht 9 Ulster 27; 2nd December

[Tries for Ulster from Field, Topping]

The Exiles 26 Leinster 42; 2nd December

[Tries for The Exiles from Corcoran, Henderson, Malone, Saverimutto]

[Tries for Leinster from McQuilkin (3), Costello, Gavin, O'Shea]

Leinster 41 Connacht 9; 9th December

[Tries for Leinster from O'Shea(2), Gavin, Hogan]

Munster 20 The Exiles 14; 9th December

[Tries for Munster from Toland (2); drop goal from Tuohy]

[Tries for The Exiles from Henderson, Malone]

Munster 15 Leinster 19; 16th December

[Tries for Munster from Wallace (2)]

[Try for Leinster from Rolland]

Ulster 29 The Exiles 3; 16th December

[Tries for Ulster from Cunningham, Harbinson, Tweed]

Connacht 11 Munster 46; 23rd December

[Try for Connacht from Heaslip]

[Tries for Munster from Clohessy.D, Clohessy.P, Crotty, McIvor, Toland, Walsh]

Leinster 31 Ulster 3; 23rd December

[Tries for Leinster from Gavin, Jameson, Wallace]

FINAL TABLE

Leinster 8 points [It was belatedly Leinster's turn to emulate their previous 100% success of 1983-1984.]

Ulster 6 points

Munster 4 points

The Exiles 2 points

Connacht 0 points

1996-1997

Munster 45 Connacht 28; 21st September

[Tries for Munster from Lacey (2), Foley, McCahill, Walsh; drop goal from O'Halloran]

[Tries for Connacht from Devine (2), Reddan]

Ulster 25 Leinster 35; 21st September

[Tries for Ulster from Duncan, Ritchie, Topping]

[Tries for Leinster from McKenna (2), Jameson, Spicer]

Leinster 40 Munster 45; 28th September

[Tries for Leinster from Coleman, Hickie, McQuilkin, Ridge]

[Tries for Munster from Galwey (2), Halvey; drop goal from Keane]

Ulster 32 Connacht 27; 28th September

[Tries for Ulster from Duncan, Laing, Topping. Laing also kicked seventeen points]

[Tries for Connacht from Carey, Elwood. Elwood also kicked seventeen points.]

Connacht 22 Leinster 13; 5th October

[Tries for Connacht from Elwood, Leahy]

[Try for Leinster from Francis]

Munster 27 Ulster 24; 5th October

[Tries for Munster from Dinneen, Galwey; drop goals from Keane, McIvor]

[Tries for Ulster from Coulter, Duncan]

FINAL TABLE

Munster 6 points [Munster revisited their form of two seasons ago with a high-scoring triple whammy.]

Connacht and Leinster and Ulster 2 points

1997-1998

Connacht 9 Munster 29; 16th August

[Tries for Munster from Galwey, Halvey, O'Gara; drop goal from O'Gara]

Leinster 26 Ulster 25; 16th August

[Tries for Leinster from Hickie, O'Mahony, Rolland]

[Try for Ulster from Laing who also kicked six penalties and a conversion]

Connacht 27 Ulster 17; 23rd August

[Tries for Connacht from Charlie, McEntee, Murphy]

[Tries for Ulster from McDowell (2)]

Munster 15 Leinster 12; 23rd August

[Drop goal for Munster from O'Gara. There were no tries from either team.]

Leinster 23 Connacht 6; 30th August

[Tries for Leinster from Nowlan, Ridge]

Ulster 22 Munster 12; 30th August

[Try for Ulster from Park; drop goal from Laing]

FINAL TABLE

Leinster and Munster 4 points

Connacht and Ulster 2 points

1998-1999

Leinster 14 Ulster 34; 14th August

[Tries for Leinster from Horgan, Nowlan]

[Tries for Ulster from Ward (2), McDowell, McWhirter]

Connacht 13 Munster 18; 15th August

[Try for Connacht from Ruane]

[Tries for Munster from Keane, Lacey]

Munster 18 Leinster 24; 21st August

[Tries for Munster from Horgan, Walsh]

[Tries for Leinster from Dempsey, Nowlan]

Connacht 21 Ulster 18; 22nd August

[Tries for Connacht from Duignan (2), Murphy]

[Tries for Ulster from Cunningham, Ward]

Leinster 29 Connacht 24; 28th August

[Tries for Leinster from Costello, Dempsey]

[Tries for Connacht from Duignan, Gavin, Murphy, Screene]

Ulster 29 Munster 12; 4th September

[Tries for Ulster from Cunningham, Rea]

Ulster 11 Leinster 35; 11th September

[Try for Ulster from Rea]

[Tries for Leinster from Nowlan (2), Hegarty, Hickie, Holden]

Munster 21 Connacht 7; 12th September

[Tries for Munster from Lacey, Quinlan] 

[Try for Connacht from Heaslip]

Connacht 24 Leinster 23; 3rd October

[Tries for Connacht from Allnutt, Mulcahy, Reddan]

[Tries for Leinster from Dempsey, Nowlan]

Munster 31 Ulster 9; 3rd October

[Tries for Munster from Foley, Galwey, Horgan, Lacey]

[Drop goal for Ulster from Humphreys]

Leinster 10 Munster 25; 23rd October

[Try for Leinster from McGowan]

[Try for Munster from Kelly; drop goals from Everitt (2)]

Ulster 36 Connacht 6; 23rd October

[Tries for Ulster from Clarke, Mason, McKinty, Topping, Ward]

FINAL TABLE

Munster 8 points

Leinster and Ulster 6 points

Connacht 4 points 

1999-2000

Connacht 9 Ulster 50; 7th August

[Tries for Ulster from Clarke, Cunningham, Howe, McWhirter, O'Cuinneagain, Topping; Mason kicked 20 points.]

Munster 31 Leinster 20; 7th August

[Tries for Munster from Foley, Kelly, Langford, O'Neill]

[Tries for Leinster from Hickie (2)]

Leinster 15 Ulster 26; 13th August

[Tries for Ulster from Howe, Mason; drop goal from Humphreys]

Connacht 17 Munster 67; 14th August

[Tries for Connacht from Duignan, Murphy]

[Tries for Munster from Crotty (3), Kelly (2), Corkery, Lynch, O'Gara, Sheahan, Wallace; O'Gara also kicked seventeen points.]

Leinster 22 Connacht 19; 3rd September

[Tries for Leinster from Byrne, O'Driscoll]

[Try for Connacht from Deane]

Ulster 24 Munster 25; 4th September

[Tries for Ulster from Bromley, Fredricks; drop goal from Humphreys]

[Tries for Munster from Mullins (2), Corkery]

Munster 36 Ulster 19; 29th October

[Tries for Munster from Mullins, O'Neill; O'Gara kicked 26 points.]

[Try for Ulster from Topping]

Connacht 8 Leinster 53; 30th October

[Try for Connacht from Deane]

[Tries for Leinster from Costello (2), D'Arcy (2), McWeeney (2), Farrell, Hickie, Horgan]

Leinster 13 Munster 30; 5th November

[Try for Leinster from Horgan; drop goal from Everitt]

[Tries for Munster from O'Neill (2), Foley, Wood]

Ulster 44 Connacht 22; 5th November

[Tries for Ulster from Bromley (2), Blair, Cunningham, McWhirter, Ward]

[Tries for Connacht from Mostyn, Steffert]

Munster 53 Connacht 10; 12th November

[Tries for Munster from Staunton (2), Foley, Horan, Horgan, Mullins]

[Try for Connacht from Allnutt]

Ulster 22 Leinster 23; 12th November

[Try for Ulster from Bromley]

[Try for Leinster from Hickie]

FINAL TABLE 

Munster 12 points [Munster completed a highly impressive six wins out of six in this tournament.]

Leinster and Ulster 6 points

Connacht 0 points

2000-2001

Leinster 21 Connacht 15; 1st September

[Tries for Leinster from Costello, Hickie, Smyth]

Ulster 16 Munster 21; 1st September

[Try for Ulster from Ward]

[Drop goals for Munster from O'Gara (2) who also kicked five penalties]

Connacht 15 Ulster 39; 8th September

[Tries for Connacht from Elwood, Lee]

[Tries for Ulster from Bell, Johns, Nelson, Stewart, Topping]

Munster 26 Leinster 20; 8th September

[Tries for Munster from Kelly, Wallace]

[Tries for Leinster from D'Arcy, Smyth]

Leinster 19 Ulster 6; 15th September

[Try for Leinster from Hickie; drop goal from O'Meara]

Munster 36 Connacht 13; 15th September

[Tries for Munster from Crotty, Foley, McMahon, Mullins, Wallace]

[Try for Connacht from Charlie]

Ulster 26 Leinster 13; 22nd September

[Tries for Ulster from Topping, Ward]

[Try for Leinster from McHugh; drop goal from O'Driscoll]

Connacht 13 Munster 23; 23rd September

[Try for Connacht from Elwood]

[Try for Munster from Holland]

Munster 29 Ulster 21; 29th September

[Tries for Munster from Crotty, Horgan]

[Tries for Ulster from Free, Topping]

Connacht 22 Leinster 20; 30th September

[Tries for Connacht from Browne, Duignan]

[Try for Leinster from Cullen; drop goal from Dunne]

Leinster 16 Munster 16; 3rd November [This draw prevented Munster from another six out of six campaign.]

[Try for Leinster from D'Arcy]

[Try for Munster from Langford]

Ulster 36 Connacht 22; 3rd November

[Tries for Ulster from Blair (2), Humphreys, Topping, Ward]

[Tries for Connacht from Munn, O'Connor, Shoeman]

FINAL TABLE

Munster 11 points

Ulster 6 points

Leinster 5 points

Connacht 2 points

2001-2002

Connacht 17 Ulster 18; 19th April

[Try for Connacht from Uijs]

[Tries for Ulster from Constable, Cunningham}

Munster 6 Leinster 6; 19th April

[There were no tries from either team.]

Connacht 20 Leinster 49; 8th May

[Tries for Connacht from Keane, McHugh]

[Tries for Leinster from O'Driscoll (2), Corrigan, Keogh, McCullen, McKenna]

Ulster 23 Munster 18; 10th May 

[Tries for Ulster from Doak, Wallace; drop goal from Wallace]

[Tries for Munster from O'Connell, Stringer]

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