Interprovincial football semi-final replay: Ulster 3-13 Munster 2-18 (aet) Munster derail Ulster
AFTER two marathon meetings and countless comebacks, Ulster were finally put to the sword, surrendering their Railway Cup crown to a slicker Munster team in Healy Park.
Only two points separated them after an incredible three hours of football but yesterday’s game, played in front of around 3,000 spectators, failed to reach the quality of the thriller in Killarney two weeks ago.
Ulster’s problems stemmed from an inability to win ball in the middle of the field where Cork’s Nicky Murphy was outstanding.
And although Peter Canavan led the line brilliantly, the Ulster forwards were starved of decent possession for long periods of the game.
The result completed a busy but ultimately fruitless day for manager Brian McEniff who was also a selector on the Donegal U21 team which lost the Ulster final to Monaghan in the curtain-raiser yesterday.
Murphy was outstanding and his Cork team-mates Paudie O’Mahony, Aidan Dorgan, Mark O’Sullivan and Joe Kavanagh continuously sliced through the porous defence.
Ulster: F McConnell, P McGuinness, M Magill, P Devlin, N Hegarty (0-1), SM Lockhart, G Coleman, P Brewster, J McGuinness, E Gormley (1-0), P Canavan (1-5, points all frees), J McCartan (1-1), J Brolly (0-1), T Boyle, B Devenney (0-2)
Subs: E Muldoon for Brewster (47), C McBride for Brolly (56), L Reilly (0-1) for Boyle (58);
Extra-time subs: Brolly for Devenney (68), Boyle for McBride (75), N Marron for Magill (82).
Munster: D O’Keeffe, M O’Donovan, C O’Sullivan (0-1, free), A Malone, M Cronin, S Moynihan, E Breen (0-1), N Murphy, J Quane, P O’Mahony (0-3, one free), J Kavanagh (0-4, one free), D O’Cinneide (0- 1), P Lambert (0-2, both frees), M O’Sullivan (2-1), M Daly (0-1)
Subs: A Dorgan (0-4) for Daly (43), L Hassett for Lambert (60).
Referee: John Bannon (Longford).
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CELTIC’S Henrik Larsson was yesterday named Player of the Year in the Scottish Premier League by his fellow professionals.
The Swedish striker, who has already scored 38 goals, was a runaway winner and will collected his award last at the Scottish Players Union award’s dinner in a Glasgow hotel.
And it is a double for the Old Firm as Rangers’ young midfielder Barry Ferguson, sidelined until next season with a pelvic injury, has received the Young Player of the Year award.
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DUBLINER Jim Rock picked up his third professional title at the National Stadium in Dublin on Saturday night.
The Belfast-based Rock stopped Michael Alexander in the first round of their bout for the Irish super-middleweight title.
Alexander, who qualifies to fight for the Irish title through his Irish parentage, was however reluctant to fight and hardly threw one punch throughout the two and a half minutes he was in the ring.
Rock put him to the canvas twice before the referee stepped in to stop the contest with Alexander against the ropes.
As a result of Alexander’s lack of fight, his purse has been withheld and Rock, although delighted to add the Irish title to the two inter-continental belts he already holds, was a little disappointed with his opponent’s tactics.
