A stunning innings of 111 by Kevin O'Brien took the game away from the Northern Knights in a thrilling opener to the RSA Inter-Provincial Series at Skerries yesterday.

The Leinster Lightning management were calling for the undertakers with eight overs left and still 71 runs needed, and only two wickets left,

But O'Brien was joined by Fintan McAllister who took his singles smartly and allowed his captain every opportunity to hit the ball - and he did.

There was 54 needed off five overs when O'Brien hit the first six of the innings, but he added three more as Leinster stormed home with six balls to spare.

The NCU selection opened with Nigel Jones as pinch hitter and he and Chris Dougherty took the score to 63 before they were parted.

Leinster's mainly seam attack struggled to take wickets on the typical Hills pitch, but Albert Van der Merwe's spin proved effective as he dismissed dangermen Dougherty and James Shannon.

Lee Nelson made a sparkling 54 before Eugene Moleon raised the target to 260 with some late hitting.

And it was the player coach who made the breakthrough with a sharp reaction in his follow-through to turn the ball onto Balbirnie's stumps. Anderson (45) and Cusack (46) took the score to 119-2 at half-way, well ahead of the Knights 100-2 at the same stage.

But Andrew White proved difficult to score off and David Simpson snapped up Trent Johnston and Max Sorensen for ducks in a three ball burst which silenced the 750-strong crowd at the picturesque Hills club.

The virtues of line and length had proved valuable to the NCU selection, but when O'Brien is in the mood he is unstoppable.

This was no Bangalore innings however, as the Railway man had to temper his aggression with falling wickets, a slower-paced pitch, and spiralling run rate, which soared past 12 an over at one stage.

The target was reduced to 17 off 12 balls, and when a run out shy hit the stumps, O'Brien used the ricochet to bring up his 84 ball century - and celebrated next ball with a six into the car park.