Hurling Interprovincial Championship/Munster 1-21 Leinster 0-13: Some of the best hurlers of this generation had a puck-around in Croke Park yesterday. Barely anyone noticed as barely anyone was there.
For the few who were it was worth the early start. Sure, any chance to watch Joe Deane, Niall Gilligan and John Mullane running off each other is a pleasure.
What started out with an exhibitionist feel to it - a Deane point here, a Gilligan 65 there equalled by two neat scores from Offaly's Brendan Murphy - soon turned into a high tempo affair and after a long hard year it was the Munster men who had the higher energy levels.
The Australians in the crowd got a decent introduction to hurling. They may not have appreciated everything that they saw, too alien maybe for their tastes, but they couldn't help but applaud the sheer agility of the two best goalkeepers in the country, Damien Fitzhenry and Brendan Cummins both making outstanding reflex stops.
The first half belonged to both sides, first Munster leaped clear before Leinster reined them back in thanks to the accurate free-taking of Laois's James Young. Despite Mullane almost finding the net, Munster had to be content with level pegging after Gilligan's second 65 of the game left it 0-8 each.
Eddie Brennan flashed his first point over a minute after the restart but that was the end of Leinster's challenge.
Eoin Kelly landed three frees before the incomparable Deane skipped around David O'Connor to score the game's only goal. Eight more points followed, with a single Young strike the only response from Leinster, Gilligan being particularly impressive with three more from play.
Wexford's Michael Jacob chipped in with a pair of scores but the damage was done. A Dave Bennett point icing up the cake in the final minute.
Munster are now going for their 44th interprovincial title after two years of defeats. Connacht, or more accurately a Galway selection, will be the opposition in the M Donnelly final - on the first weekend in November at a venue yet to be confirmed - after they overwhelmed Ulster 2-24 to 2-11 in Casement Park on Saturday.
Enda Tannaghan claimed a brace of goals to cancel out first-half strikes from Antrim forwards Michael Herron and Brian McFall. Ollie Fahy also had a good day, striking three points, but it was Niall Healy, a recent graduate from the minor ranks, who really impressed with 11 points, six from play.
Connacht led by 0-13 to 1-8 at half-time but Ulster scored just one point in the closing 24 minutes.
MUNSTER: B Cummins; J Browne, P Maher, J Murray; E Corcoran (0-2), R Curran, D Fitzgerald; T Browne (0-1), O Moran (0-2); D Shanahan, N Gilligan (0-6, two 65's), N Moran; J Mullane (0-2), E Kelly (0-5, four frees), J Deane (1-2). Subs: S Prendergast N Moran (half-time), D Bennett (0-1) for T Browne (49 mins), B Dunne for O Moran (56 mins).
LEINSTER: D Fitzhenry; M Travers, D Ryan, D O'Connor; R McCarthy, D Ruth, JJ Delaney; M Cordial, J Young (0-5, 65, 3f); B Murphy (0-2), J Hoyne (0-1), T Walsh; M Jacob (0-2), G Hanniffy, E Brennan (0-2). Subs: M Jordan for T Walsh (40 mins), R Mullally (0-1) for M Cordial (48 mins).
Referee: T McIntyre (Antrim).
CONNACHT: L Donoghue; D Joyce, S Kavanagh, F Moore; D Hardiman, L Hodgins, D O'Brien (0-1); D Hayes, D Collins (0-1); F Healy (0-2), E Tanaghan (2-2), D Tierney (0-2); O Fahy (0-3), A Kerins (0-2), N Healy (0-11, five frees). Subs: K Brady for Kearns (46 mins), K Higgins for O'BNrien (51 mins), P Seevers forn Tierney (56 mins)
ULSTER: G Clarke; M Kettle, C Kelly, S Murray; L Hinphy, K McKeegan, C Herron; S Wilson, R Convery; B McFall (1-4, frees), G Johnson (0-3), B McGourty (0-2); M Herron (1-2), P Richmon, D Quinn. Subs: C McGuckian for Richmond (half-time), P Doherty for Quinn (39 mins), M McCambridge for Convery (50 misn), M Conway for McKeegan (57 mins), A Savage for Wilson (57 mins).
Referee: B Gavin (Offaly).
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