O'Connor hat-trick helps Leinster crush Ulster

Ulster 0-43 Leinster

Co-captain Hannah O'Connor helped herself to a hat-trick of tries during Leinster's 43-0 final round triumph over Ulster in the Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship.

Tania Rosser's side had their bonus point wrapped up by the half-hour mark at Queen's Upper Malone facility. Influential number 8 O'Connor touched down twice and Emma Hooban and Molly Scuffil-McCabe also crossed the whitewash.

Dannah O'Brien landed three conversions to leave Ulster 26-0 behind at half-time, and the hosts were unable to hit back despite the best efforts of Ella Durkan, Emma Jordan and lively replacement Fiona Tuite.

While Munster were crowned champions earlier in the day, runners-up Leinster closed out their Interpro campaign with O'Connor's third of the evening and final quarter efforts from Ella Roberts and replacement Niamh Byrne.

Leinster were first to settle, out-half O'Brien putting a central penalty wide before Roberts injected serious pace into an attack and Aoife Dalton went close from a quickly-taken penalty.

The visitors kept the pressure on through Aoife McDermott before hooker Hooban picked quickly to plunge over in the eighth minute, with O'Brien turning it into a full seven-pointer.

In response, Ulster were boosted by a strong midfield break from India Daley, while Sadhbh McGrath also got them over the gain-line.

Crucially, ball retention was proving difficult as Leinster kept them out of scoring range. Instead, Rosser's charges managed to double their lead when O'Brien's quick pass - with Ulster captain Beth Cregan and Durkan both rushing up in defence - gave O'Connor a straightforward finish under the posts. O'Brien's conversion made it 14-0.

Try number three followed with O'Connor the provider this time.