Half centuries from skipper Philippe Le Roux and Aaron McGeehan powered Leinster to the Under 17 interprovincial title as they beat the NCU by 7 wickets at Stormont.

The pair added 97 for the second wicket with Le Roux top scoring with an unbeaten 63 (6 fours, 1 six), while Clontarf opener McGeehan hit 7 fours and a six in his 57 before being dismissed by Carson McCullough (2-45).

Macdara Cosgrave (17*) and Le Roux added an unbroken fourth wicket stand of 46 to pass their modest target of 152.

Earlier, the hosts looked well set for a big total as openers Ryan Hunter (38) and Ryan Matthews (30) put on 60 for the first wicket.

However, both fell to Daniel Forkin, who went on to claim 4 for 29. 60 for 0 became 85 for 5, and it took a sixth wicket stand of 45 between Rory Ellerby (27) and Tom Crothers (20) to get them back on track at 130 for 5.

However a second collapse saw the last five fall for 22 runs – three wickets for Luke Thomson, and a final total of 152 was never likely to prove too much trouble for the strong Leinster batting line-up.

Scott Macbeth’s run-a-ball 78 steered the North West to an eight-wickets (DLS) win against Munster in the battle to avoid the wooden spoon in the Under 17 interprovincial championships in Belfast.

The Bready teenager hit 7 fours and 3 sixes in his innings, totally dominating a third wicket stand of 69 with Robert McFarland (8*), having earlier added 42 with the second wicket with Gavin Roulston (25).

They reached their revised target of 122 in 27 overs with 16 balls to spare.

Earlier, Macbeth and Roulston had each taken 2 for 20 in Munster’s 160 for 8 – Ryan du Plessis making 42, and Sunny Gautam 26.

The final games of the series on Wednesday has champions Leinster facing Munster at Templepatrick, while the NCU entertain the NW at Stormont.