Connacht 3-19 Munster 2-16
Connacht will hope for a first inter-provincial football title since 1969 when they face Leinster in next weekend's final after they came out on top in a pulsating semi-final at Tuam Stadium.
In front of a shocking crowd of approximately 100 people, Connacht and Munster served up a game for the Gaelic football purists. Five goals and 35 points – all but five from play – were delivered, it was just a shame the game wasn’t given top billing, said Munster manager Ger O’Sullivan.
“I think it’s a pity that even cameras don’t come to record this to show it on the dreary Christmas nights, and let people see what kind of football is being played. We’ve had the same experience last year against Ulster and the previous year against Ulster,” O’Sullivan said.
Munster had an excellent first half-hour and at one stage led by 1-8 to 0-4, thanks to Brian Hurley’s third-minute goal.
But after David Kelly hit a bullet to the net in the 30th minute the game turned on it’s head, and only Hurley’s stunning pile-driver saw Munster lead by 2-9 to 1-9 at half-time.
A lightening start to the second-half from Connacht saw Aidan O'Shea goal in the 37th minute, while Cregg sealed the win when he palmed Kelly's pass past Brendan Kealy in the final quarter.
CONNACHT:
R Hennelly; G Reynolds, J Moore, N Ewing; G Bradshaw, N Daly, K McLoughlin;
A O'Shea
(1-0)
, J Gibbons;
C Cregg
(1-7), E Mulligan
(0-5, 1f, 1'45),
S Armstrong;
M Conroy
(0-1), P Conroy
(0-5), D Kelly
(1-0). Subs:
T Flynn for Gibbons (26-34 mins blood), J Duane for Bradshaw (46 mins),
E Concannon
(0-1)
for Armstrong (54 mins), D Cumminsor for Cregg (63 mins), M Breheny for Kelly (66 mins), G Bradshaw for McLoughlin (66 mins).
MUNSTER:
B Kealy; M Ó Sé , M Griffin, B McGuire;
J Lyne
(0-1)
, A O'Mahony, K O'Driscoll; R Deane, D Moran;
P Kerrigan
(0-2), M Collins
(0-1), D Walsh
(0-1); D Goulding
(0-5, 1f, 1'45), D O'Connor
(0-2, 1f), B Hurley
(2-2). Subs:
J O'Rourke for Lyne (35 mins), BJ Keane (0-1) for Deane (45 mins), B O'Driscoll for Walsh (53 mins), M Geaney (0-1) for K O'Driscoll (59 mins), K O'Halloran for Kealy (60 mins), J McLoughlin for Ó Sé (63 mins).
Referee:
Cathal O'Hagan (Tyrone).
