Interpro Football Semi-Final – Munster 1-16 Leinster 1-13

Munster only winners as fans stay away

Leinster 1-13 Munster 1-16

By John Fogarty for the Irish Examiner newspaper

A decent contest of football deservedly won by Munster was overshadowed by the paltry crowd at yesterday’s M Donnelly Interprovincial semi-final at Parnell Park. A crowd of between 600 and 800 patrons attended a game which saw the visitors hold off Leinster to keep their chances of retaining the competition alive.

Munster manager Ger O’Sullivan was genuinely surprised by how big the attendance was, given he felt there was little marketing done for the game. “That’s actually more than I expected to see there, to be honest. In any business, and the GAA is a business, you must market.” He added: “Somebody only told me today that if you brought along two kids an adult would get in free, I didn’t even know that.”

O’Sullivan would like to see the pre-season competitions condensed to allow the Interprovincial semi-finals be played in late January with a final around St Patrick’s Day. On the matter of the crowd, his Leinster equivalent Sean Boylan had a blast at GAA officials for talking down the competition. “Would I have liked to have seen more people? I would, yeah. Has there been a lot of negative talk about it? Yeah, there’s been quite a lot of negative talk about it, particularly from people from within our own association, people who would have had a lot of prominence in the association over the years. “But I think sometimes when we get certain positions we forget about the lads who play the game. We asked 25 lads, every single one of those wanted to play for Leinster.”

Those players only met up for the first time as a group yesterday morning and while they had impressive returns from Paddy Keenan and Bernard Brogan, they were struggling from the start when they went eight points down in the 15th minute. Munster had played a Cork selection in Mallow on Wednesday and most of the players stayed up in Dublin on Saturday, O’Sullivan praising the Munster Council for taking the team’s preparations seriously. The seven Division 4 players in the starting team didn’t look out of place alongside their more illustrious Cork and Kerry teammates like Paddy Kelly and Tomás Ó Sé who had fine games.

Waterford’s Gary Hurney was a threat at full-forward in the first-half, scoring his side’s goal, while Clare’s Gary Brennan at midfield and David Tubridy, who kicked six points, put in noteworthy displays. “Great credit to the so-called weaker counties, Waterford, Clare, Limerick guys,” said O’Sullivan. “They are all playing Division 4, but they showed there that they would get on any inter-county team.” Tubridy bagged two of Munster’s first three scores before Hurney gave Kevin Reilly the slip to beat Stephen Cluxton. Leinster didn’t score until the 17th minute via a Bernard Brogan free but by that stage Munster had 1-5 to their account. A Cahir Healy goal in the 27th minute after Mikey Conway had seen his shot parried by Alan Quirke followed by Keenan and Diarmuid Connolly scores narrowed the gap to four. Connolly then shot into the side-netting and it proved a costly miss as Paudie Kissane and Ian Ryan tagged on points to push Munster ahead 1-10 to 1-4 at the break.

Four scores in as many minutes from Brogan and the impressive Keenan into the new half brought Leinster back into the game but the next five white flags were raised for Munster. Hurney added a brace and Limerick’s Stephen Lavin registered the score of the game when he intercepted a ball in defence and raced up the field to offer himself as an option to finish the move. It was then Leinster’s turn to find the posts and Keenan and Brogan were again obliging to narrow the deficit to two but Tubridy accepted a pass from Ó Sé to successfully send over. O’Sullivan revealed afterwards he will have more Kerry players — possibly four — available for next weekend’s final against Ulster.

Scorers for Munster: D Tubridy 0-6 (0-3 f); G Hurney 1-2 (0-1 free); I Ryan 0-2; P Kelly, T Ó Sé, J Cooke, P Kissane, S Lavin, M Collins 0-1 each.

Scorers for Leinster: B Brogan (five frees), P Keenan 0-6 each; C Healy 1-0; D Connolly, S Cluxton (free) 0-1 each.

MUNSTER: A Quirke (Cork); A O’Mahony (Kerry), J McCarthy, S Lavin (both Limerick); T Ó Sé (Kerry); G Canty, P Kissane (both Cork); G Brennan (Clare), S Scanlon (Kerry); P Kelly, P Kerrigan (both Cork), J Cooke (Limerick); D Tubridy (Clare), G Hurney (Waterford), I Ryan (Limerick).

Subs for Munster: M Collins (Cork) for Kerrigan (45); S Briggs (Waterford) for Cooke (57).

LEINSTER: S Cluxton (Dublin); G Molloy (Wexford), K Reilly (Meath), C Healy (Laois); E Bolton (Kildare), S McAnarney (Meath), L Glynn (Wicklow); MD Macauley (Dublin), P Keenan (Louth); M Conway (Kildare), A Brogan (Dublin), B Quigley (Laois); B Brogan, D Connolly, K McManamon (all Dublin).

Subs for Leinster: K Nolan (Dublin) for Bolton (13); B Murphy (Carlow) for Macauley (49); K Lillis (Laois) for Conway (h-t); J Doyle (Kildare) for McManamon (53); S McCormack (Longford) for Glynn (55).

Referee: Martin Higgins (Fermanagh)

Inter-pros deserve a fair go — O’Sullivan

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/interpros-deserve-a-fair-go-osullivan-3024539.html

THE sick patient of Gaelic games won’t have drawn much oxygen from Parnell Park in Dublin yesterday as Munster steered a neat course into the M Donnelly inter-provincial football final at Leinster’s expense. With six of Dublin’s All-Ireland-winning team, Alan Brogan as captain and the province’s most celebrated manager of the last three decades in charge, it looked like a sufficient cocktail to at least get the patient sitting up in the bed again from Leinster’s point of view. But there were no more than 700 spectators scattered around the ground for a Sunday afternoon fixture that just didn’t spark into life.

It was a nice game of football surely — Sean Boylan recounted afterwards that the medical staff weren’t required once — and a perfect environment for players from the less successful counties to showcase their talents. A Clare, Waterford and Limerick full-forward line — David Tubridy, Gary Hurney and Ian Ryan — supplied 1-10 of Munster’s 1-16, while a Louth midfielder, Paddy Keenan, fired over five points for the home side. But, unfortunately for the inter-pros, footfall on the terraces and in the stands is the relevant detail, and again the crowds just didn’t turn out.

Inevitably, those closest to the action raise questions about the marketing strategy deployed and muse about the best time of the year to play it. Munster manager Ger O’Sullivan, a devotee of the competition who was left without Tipperary players and several Kerry players for the fixture, says the competition must be given time. “In any business — and the GAA is a business — you must market. I saw the amount of marketing that went into the International Rules a few years ago, and it brought huge crowds out,” he said. “I said it before, you must get the like-minded people, people who are interested in this competition, and sit down. “We have to give it three years, give it marketing and pick the right time of the year for it. Give it a fair go rather than just signing a death warrant,” added O’Sullivan, who expects to have more Kerry players back for next weekend’s final against Ulster.

O’Sullivan admits he is not a fan of the pre-season provincial competitions and sees a slot for the inter-pros there. Alternatively, the finals, he argues, could be played before the club finals on St Patrick’s Day. “Give the first round of the inter-provincials a weekend towards the end of January and try to get a date around St Patrick’s Day for the final, when you have the excitement of the All-Ireland club finals. “I’d love to think that you could play the football as a curtain-raiser for the football (club final) and the same with the hurling. I know you can’t play them both on St Patrick’s Day, but maybe you could switch one to the Sunday before or the Sunday after every second year.”

Boylan longed for the opportunity to be able to interchange players so as not to leave them on the bench, and perhaps the competition should be the experimental vehicle for the games in the future. Could interchange not be tried here? Or the ‘tap and go’ free? What about 13-a-side with interchange for some novelty to stir the imagination? Quite likely, the fixture would have drawn a bigger crowd on a Saturday evening, but apparently Munster weren’t aware of Leinster’s desire to do so. Boylan is adamant the show must go on because the players want it. “Has there been a lot of negative talk about it? Yes there has, from people within our association. People who would have had a lot of prominence in the association over the years,” he said.

“I think sometimes when you get into certain positions, you forget about the lads who play the game. I know we asked 25 lads. Every single one of those wanted to play for Leinster. “Not one said they didn’t want it. They were all up for it.” Boylan was full of praise for the performance of Clare midfielder Gary Brennan, who really caught the eye, while that full-forward line were instrumental as Munster built an early 1-8 to 1-2 lead with Hurney getting the goal.

Laois’ Cahir Healy got forward to respond for Leinster on 26 minutes and Munster led by 1-10 to 1-4 at the break. But four unanswered points — two each from Bernard Brogan (one free) and Keenan — took Leinster to within two points. But Munster were better prepared and responded to lead by seven again at one stage, with Boylan accepting afterwards that the decision not to call his players together for a training session may have given the visitors a slight advantage on the day.

SCORERS — Munster: D Tubridy 0-6 (3f), G Hurney 1-2 (1f), I Ryan 0-2, J Cooke, P Kelly, T O Se, P Kissane, M Collins, S Lavin 0-1 each. Leinster: B Brogan 0-6 (5f), P Keenan 0-5, C Healy 1-0, S Cluxton (1f), D Connolly 0-1 each.

MUNSTER — A Quirke (Cork); A O’Mahony (Kerry), J McCarthy (Limerick), S Lavin (Limerick); T O Se (Kerry), G Canty (Cork), P Kissane (Cork); G Brennan (Clare), S Scanlon (Kerry); P Kelly (Cork), P Kerrigan (Cork), J Cooke (Limerick); D Tubridy (Clare), G Hurney (Waterford), I Ryan (Limerick). Subs: M Collins (Cork) for Kerrigan (45), S Briggs for Cooke (57).

LEINSTER — S Cluxton (Dublin); G Molloy (Wexford), K Reilly (Meath), C Healy (Laois); E Bolton (Kildare), S McAnarney (Meath), L Glynn (Wicklow); P Keenan (Louth), MD MacAuley; M Conway (Kildare), A Brogan (Dublin), B Quigley (Laois); B Brogan, D Connolly, K McManamon (all Dublin). Subs: K Nolan (Dublin) for Bolton (12), K Lillis (Laois) for Conway (ht), B Murphy (Carlow) for MacAuley (49), J Doyle (Kildare) for McManamon (52), S McCormack (Longford) for Glynn (54).

REF — M Higgins (Fermanagh).

Tubridy guides Munster footballers over the line

From the GAA.ie web site

M. Donnelly Interprovincial GAA Football Championship Semi-Final: Leinster 1-13 Munster 1-16

Munster are through to the final of the 2012 M. Donnelly GAA Football Interprovincial Series final after a three-point defeat of Leinster at Parnell Park on Sunday. Taking to the field with seven players who are playing in Division IV of the Allianz Football League, Munster showed a far greater appetite for the game, in the first half especially, and were deserving winners, although they did have to overcome a late wobble when they appeared to be cruising into the final. Victory looked all but in the bag when Munster led by seven points in the 50th minute, but credit to Seán Boylan’s Leinster side, with Paddy Keenan, who scored six points from play, in superb form, they came charging back in the closing stages.

Indeed, Munster’s lead was down to just two points with a minute left on the clock, but Clare’s David Tubridy, who finished with 0-6, floated over a fine late score to seal the win for the visiting side. Munster’s goal arrived after just six minutes. Paddy Kelly, the architect of much that was good in Munster’s play in the first half, switched play and found full-forward Gary Hurney, who engineered some space, and after a fine run, sent a low shot past Stephen Cluxton, the Leinster goalkeeper. That goal gave O’Sullivan’s side a 1-3 to 0-0 lead, with Tubridy, excellent in the first half, having scored twice in the first four minutes.

Munster’s dominance stemmed from their ability to control the middle third, where Seamus Scanlon and Gary Brennan won plenty of clean ball to supply to a lively attack. By the 15th minute, the visitors had extended their lead to 1-5 to 0-0, before Leinster finally got off the mark, when Dublin’s Bernard Brogan hit the target from a free on 17 minutes. Boylan’s men finally crackled into life when Bernard Brogan played a long ball into the path of Mikey Conway. When the Kildare playmaker’s shot from a tight angle was palmed away by Alan Quirke, the ball fell kindly for Cahir Healy, who tapped into an empty net.

Keenan and Dublin’s Diarmuid Connolly notched quick-fire scores from play to reduce the deficit to four points. Munster, however, reasserted their dominance with a pair of scores on the stroke of half-time, Paudie Kissane and Ian Ryan on target to leave them 1-10 to 1-4 ahead. Keenan and Bernard Brogan scored two points apiece on the resumption of play to leave just two between the sides. Again, though, Munster hit four without reply, as the excellent Hurney further enhanced his reputation with two more and substitute Mark Collins also got in on the act, leaving his side 1-15 to 1-8 and apparently cruising into the final.

But Bernard Brogan and Cluxton started Leinster’s comeback with well-taken frees and when Keenan brought his tally for the day to six with two more from play, suddenly the home crowd came to life. However, Munster captain Tomás Ó Sé surged forward in the last minute and found Tubridy, who lofted over a fine point to seal the win.

Leinster Scorers: Cluxton 0-1 (0-1f), Healy 1-0, Keenan 0-6, Connolly 0-1, B Brogan 0-5 (0-4f).

Munster Scorers: Lavin 0-1, Kissane 0-1, Kelly 0-2, Cooke 0-1, Tubridy 0-6 (0-3f), Hurney 1-2, Ryan 0-2, Collins 0-1.

Leinster: S Cluxton; C Healy, G Molloy, S McAnarney; E Bolton, K Reilly, B Quigley; M Macauley, P Keenan; D Connolly, A Brogan, L Glynn; B Brogan, M Conway, K McManamon. Subs: K Nolan for E Bolton (13’), K Lillis for M Conway (HT), B Murphy for Macauley (50’), J Doyle for McManamon (53’), S McCormack for Glynn (56’).

Munster: A Quirke; A O’Mahony, J McCarthy, S Lavin; T Ó Sé, G Canty, P Kissane; G Brennan, S Scanlon; P Kelly, P Kerrigan, J Cooke; D Tubridy, G Hurney, I Ryan. Subs: M Collins for Kerrigan (45’), S Briggs for Cooke (58’).

Referee: M Higgins (Fermanagh)

Match Preview

M. Donnelly GAA Football Interprovincial Championship semi-final

Leinster v Munster, Parnell Park, 2.00pm

From the GAA.ie web site

After a two-year absence, the M. Donnelly Interprovincial Series returns this weekend, with the meeting of Munster and Leinster in the football competition at Parnell Park arguably the pick of the four games on offer. Leinster, managed by Seán Boylan, have no fewer than 10 of Dublin’s All-Ireland winning squad from last September on show, with the inclusion of the Brogan brothers, Alan and Bernard, sure to add an extra element of excitement to proceedings.

Munster manager Ger O’Sullivan’s pick has been curtailed somewhat due to injury and a lack of availability of players and yet four Kerrymen and six members of the Cork squad have been included in his 24-man panel. The remainder come from Waterford, Clare and Limerick, three teams playing in Division IV of the Allianz Football League this year. Leinster are second in the Interprovincial roll of honour with 28 titles, while Munster are back in third with 15, although that figure is slightly skewed given they did not win a single series between 1950 and ’71. Since 2000, Munster have played in 13 games and only won four, while Leinster have a far better record, winning 14 of the 18 games they have contested.

Munster’s last title was in 2008, when Cork’s Nicholas Murphy captained a side also managed by O’Sullivan to victory over Connacht. The last meeting between the two teams at this stage of the competition was in 2007, when goals by Cork pair John Miskella and Pearse O’Neill helped the Munster men to a 2-11 to 0-12 victory. “Looking at the Leinster panel, it’s going to be tough,” Munster manager O’Sullivan said to gaa.ie. “They are very strong. On paper our squad is not as strong. I was thinking this morning that half our panel will be Division IV players, from Limerick, Clare and Waterford. But they are still excellent players and I know it is a great honour for those. They had no hesitation at all. They love the competition.”

Rarely will Gaelic football supporters get the chance to see so many luminaries of the game on show on the same pitch, and although the intensity may not be the same as a mid-summer championship game, Sunday’s Parnell Park clash looks like an ideal offering for those looking for their fix of football action this weekend. Admission for children Under 16 is free and a further concession has also been announced. Adults will be admitted free to the stand if accompanied by two children. The General Admission price is Adults €10 and Students/OAPs €5.

Contact Munster GAA PRO Ed Donnelly at pro.munster@gaa.ie for more information

For the Record

2012 M Donnelly Inter Provincial Football Fixtures

Semi-Finals (Extra time)

Sunday February 19^th

@ Parnell Park Dublin                      Munster v Leinster                                        @ 2:00pm
@ Markevicz Park Sligo                  Connacht v Ulster                                          @ 2:00pm

Final (Extra time)

Sunday February 26^th

Inter Provincial Football – A look back

Munster have won 15 Inter-Provincial Football titles. The breakdown by county of winning Munster Football captains is as follows – Kerry (11), Cork (4)

John O’Keeffe (Kerry) is the only player to captain Munster to Inter-Provincial Football success on two occasions, winning in 1977 and 1978 while playing at full-back.

Munster did not win an Inter Provincial Football title from 1950 through 1971.

After winning the 1999 title (captained by Seamus Moynihan of Kerry), Munster lost in the semi-final for the next 7 consecutive years. During those barren years, Nicholas Murphy (Cork) played in 6 of the 7 games, missing out only in 2004 before getting his just rewards as winning Munster captain in 2008.

Munster captured 4 Inter Provincial Football titles in a row from 1975 to 1978. Jimmy Barry-Murphy (Cork), Dave McCarthy (Cork), John O’Keeffe (Kerry), Ger Power (Kerry) and John Egan (Kerry) won medals in all four years.

Munster captured the first ever Inter Provincial Football competition in 1927 with victories over Ulster and Connacht.  John Joe Sheehy of Kerry was the winning captain.

Connacht were the defeated finalists in the last 4 Munster Inter Provincial Football title wins in 1981, 1982, 1999 and 2008.

Last Munster Appearance in the Competition

2009 Final – Ulster 0-15 Munster 1-8 – Ruislip on November 8^th

Munster Football Team: Paul Fitzgerald (Tipperary); Tomas O’Gorman (Waterford), Johnny McCarthy (Limerick), Padraig Reidy (Kerry); Maurice O’Gorman (Waterford), Michael Shields (Cork); Pa Ranahan (Limerick); Nicholas Murphy (Cork), Pierce O’Neill (Cork); Patrick Kelly (Cork), Donncha O’Connor (Cork – Captain), Paul Kerrigan (Cork); Gary Hurney (Waterford), Daniel Goulding (Cork), Liam Ó Lionáin (Waterford)

Subs: Robbie Costigan (Tipperary) for Maurice O’Gorman, James Ryan (Limerick) for Paul Kerrigan, Seamus Scanlon (Kerry) for Pierce O’Neill, Aidan Walsh (Cork) for Liam Ó Lionáin. Joe Hayes (Clare). Alan O’Connor (Cork), Colm O’Neill (Cork), Shane Walsh (Waterford), Ger Quinlan (Clare) played in the semi-final.

Most Recent meeting – Leinster v Munster

October 13^th 2007 at Fermoy – Munster 2-11 Leinster 0-12 (Semi-Final)

Munster: Alan Quirke (Cork); Thomas O’Gorman (Waterford), Graham Canty (Cork), Tom O’Sullivan (Kerry); Kieran O’Connor (Cork), Ger Spillane (Cork, 0-1), Aidan O’Mahony (Kerry); Seamus Scanlon (Kerry), Mick Aherne (Waterford); Fintan Gould (Cork, 0-3, 0-1 45), Pierce O’Neill (Cork, 1-0), John Miskella (Cork, 1-1); Liam O Lionáin (Waterford), Tommy Walsh (Kerry), Conor McCarthy (Cork, 0-5, 0-3 frees)

Subs: Colm O’Neill (Cork) for Ó Lionáin, David Moran (Kerry, 0-1) for Aherne, Eoin Sexton (Cork) for O’Neill

Leinster: D Sheridan (Longford), D Henry (Dublin), C Evans (Offaly), D Reilly (Longford); P Casey (Dublin), C Moran (Dublin), C King (Meath); S Ryan (Dublin), R Sweeney (Kildare); M Carpenter (Carlow, 0-1), P Barden (Longford, 0-2), G Geraghty (Meath, 0-2); B Kavanagh (Longford), D Dolan (Westmeath, 0-5, 0-4 frees), J Doyle (Kildare).

Subs: N McNamee (Offaly, 0-1) for Evans, B Brogan (Dublin, 0-1) for C Moran (blood 12-18); Brogan for B Kavanagh (blood 29-35); B Brogan for Sweeney and G Dolan (Westmeath) for Barden

Referee: G Ó Conámha (Galway)

Last Inter Provincial Football Title for Munster

2008: Final – Munster 1-9 Connacht 0-7

Munster team: Paul Fitzgerald (Tipperary); Diarmuid Duggan (Cork), Johnny McCarthy (Limerick), Padraig Reidy (Kerry); Tomas Ó Sé (Kerry), Steven Lavin (Limerick), Tomas O’Gorman (Waterford); John Galvin (Limerick), Nicholas Murphy (Cork – Captain); Patrick Kelly (Cork), Donnacha O’Connor (Cork), Maurice O’Gorman (Waterford); Daniel Goulding (Cork), Alan O’Connor (Cork), Ian Ryan (Limerick)

Subs: Robbie Costigan (Tipperary) for Tomas O’Gorman, John Hayes (Cork) for Alan O’Connor, Steven O’Donoghue (Cork) for Patrick Kelly, Eddie Rockett (Waterford) for Maurice O’Gorman, Michael Crowley (Limerick) for Ian Ryan. Joe Hayes (Clare). Michael Cussen (Cork) and Liam Ó Lionáin (Waterford) played in the semi-final.

Inter Provincial Football Roll Of Honour

Ulster (29) – 1942, 1943, 1947, 1950, 1956, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2009

Leinster (28) – 1928, 1929, 1930, 1932, 1933, 1935, 1939, 1940, 1944, 1945, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1974, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006

Munster (15) – 1927, 1931, 1941, 1946, 1948, 1949, 1972, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1999, 2008

Connacht (9) – 1934, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1951, 1957, 1958, 1967, 1969

List of Munster Inter Provincial Football Teams

Visit the Munster GAA web site at https://munster.gaa.ie/history/railway-cup-football/ to view the list of all the teams to represent Munster in the Inter Provincial Football competition

Martin Donnelly Interprovincial Series Leinster Football Team Announcement

M. Donnelly Interprovincial Leinster Football Team

Stephen Cluxton, Dublin, Garry Connaghton, Westmeath, Rory O’ Carroll, Dublin, Kevin Reilly, Meath, Ger Brennan, Dublin, Kevin Nolan, Dublin, Kieran Lillis, Laois, Emmett Bolton, Kildare, Cahir Healy, Laois, Shane McAnarney, Meath, Graham Molloy, Wexford, Michael Darragh McCauley, Dublin, Paddy Keenan, Louth, Brendan Quigley, Laois, Brendan Murphy, Carlow, Alan Brogan, Dublin, Bernard Brogan, Dublin, Leighton Glynn, Wicklow, Kevin McManamon, Dublin, Sean McCormack, Longford, Michael Conway, Kildare, Joe Sheridan, Meath, Brian Cullen, Dublin, Johnny Doyle, Kildare, Dermot Connolly, Dublin.

Selectors: Ciaran Whelan and Ciaran McManus

The M. Donnelly Interprovincial Football Semi Finals will take place on Sunday next, February 19th with Leinster V Munster taking place in Parnell Park at 2.00pm and Ulster V Connacht taking place at Markievz Park at 2.00pm.