Interprovincial Football Championship semi-final:
Connacht 2-17 Leinster 1-18
A LATE goal from Niall Murphy proved to be the difference at Parnell Park as Connacht advanced to the interprovincial football final with a win over Leinster.
Connacht were the early pace setters, racking up a four-point advantage before a Ciaran Murtagh major further turned the screw for the westerners. John McGrath and John Heslin kept Leinster in it, but Connacht were very much in control at half-time, leading by six.
The men from the east turned the tables on Connacht early in the second-half as a Kieran Martin goal and points from Heslin and Jason Doherty put them in front for the first time.
But Connacht held their nerve and points from Danny Cummins and Murphy, followed by that late goal from the latter saw them through to the decider.
MATCH STATS
Connacht: D Clarke (Mayo); K McDonnell (Sligo), N McInerney (Roscommon), D Wynne (Galway); N Daly (Roscommon, 0-1), G O’Donnell (Galway), J Heaney (Galway); E Smith (Roscommon, 0-1), K Higgins (Roscommon); F Cregg (Roscommon, 0-1), C Murtagh (Roscommon, 1-1), J Doherty (Mayo, 0-6, 0-4 frees); N Murphy (Sligo, 1-3), D Comer (Galway, 0-1), D Cummins (Galway, 0-3); Subs: C O’Shea (Mayo) for E Smith (22), Sean Mullohy (Roscommon) (22) for J Heaney, D Murtagh (Roscommon) for N Murphy (26), E Mulligan (Leitrim) for C Murtagh (HT), A Varley (Galway) for D Comer (36), E Smith for C O’Shea (41), N Murphy for D Murtagh (43) J Heaney for N McInerney (50), D Wrynn (Leitrim) for K Higgins (53), J McManus (Roscommon) for D Wynne (53) C Murtagh for E Mulligan (55).
Leinster: A Mulhall (Offaly); D Daly (Dublin), K Meeney (Laois), P Ruth (Louth); J Dolan (Westmeath), J Small (Dublin), D Healy (Wicklow); J O’Loughlin (Laois, 0-1), D Foley (Carlow, 0-1); J McGrath (Wicklow, 0-1), K Martin (Westmeath, 1-1); N Dunne (Offaly), J Heslin (Westmeath, 0-10, 0-8 frees), N Flynn (Kildare); Subs: D Kingston (Laois) for N Dunne (HT), G Guilfoyle (Offaly) for J McGrath (HT), J Byrne (Kildare, 0-1) for D Foley (HT), B Malone (Wexford) for P Ruth (HT), D Byrne (Louth, 0-1) for D Healy (HT), D St Ledger (Carlow) for K Meeney (HT), S O’Rourke (Meath, 0-1) for N Flynn (43), P Cunningham (Offaly) for K Martin (46), P Collum (Longford) for A Mulhall (52), P Ruth for J Dolan (58).
Referee: N Mooney (Cavan).
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Interprovincial Hurling Championship semi-final: Leinster 1-14 Connacht 1-12
LEINSTER had more joy in the hurling semi-final as they edged past Connacht in Nenagh, despite being reduced to 14 men.
Kilkenny’s Colin Fennelly was shown a straight red card midway through the second-half following an off the sliotár incident with Connacht’s Paul Killeen. However, Lee Chin stepped up to the mark for Leinster, his 1-4 haul proving crucial to their victory.
MATCH STATS
Connacht (Galway unless stated): J Skehill (0-1 free); M Donohue, P Killeen, J Hanbury; G McInerney, P Mannion, M Conneely; J Coen, D Burke (0-1); S Maloney, J Cooney (0-1), C Cooney (0-3 frees); B Molloy, C Mannion (0-1), J Flynn (0-1 sideline); Subs: N Burke (0-3, 0-1 free) for Molloy (39), D Glennon for Flynn (39), A Harte (0-1) for Coen (40), C Freeman (Mayo) for C Cooney (44), P Brehony for Donohue (47), P Flaherty (0-1) for Killeen (50), M Keating for D Burke (55), J Kilkenny (Roscommon) for McInerney (57), C Dolan (Roscommon) for Maloney (57), S McInerney for Keating (60).
Leinster: J Dempsey (Offaly); M Whelan (Laois), T Doyle (Westmeath), L Ryan (Wexford); P Walsh (Kilkenny), K Joyce (Kilkenny), C Crummey (Dublin, 0-1); C Fogarty (Kilkenny), S Ryan (Offaly, 0-1); W Walsh (Kilkenny, 0-1), L Chin (Wexford, 1-4), C Dwyer (Laois); S Dooley (Offaly, 0-3 frees), E Dillon (Dublin), C Fennelly (Kilkenny, 0-1); Subs: R O’Dwyer (Dublin, 0-1) for Dillon (h.t.), G Keegan (Kildare, 0-1) for Dwyer (38), M Kavanagh (Carlow, 0-1) for Dooley (38), D Murphy (Carlow) for O’Dwyer (60).
Referee: C Lyons (Cork).
