M. Donnelly Interpro Football S-F – Connacht 3-19 Munster 2-16

Connacht defeated Munster by 3-19 to 2-16 in the M. Donnelly GAA Football Interprovincial Championship 2014 Semi Final on Sunday February 16th at Tuam.

Connacht 3-19 Munster 2-16

Report from the Irish Times newspaper

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).

Munster Football Panel

The Munster senior football panel for the M. Donnelly Inter-provincial semi-final between Munster and Connacht in Tuam at 2pm on Sunday next, February 16th is as follows:

Corcaigh (11) Mark Collins, Ruairi Deane, Daniel Goulding, Brian Hurley, Paul Kerrigan, James Loughrey, John McLoughlin, Donncha O’Connor, Barry O’Driscoll, Ken O’Halloran, John O’Rourke

Ciarraí (13) Peter Crowley, Shane Enright, Michael Geaney, Mark Griffin, Brendan Kealy, Barry John Keane, Jonathan Lyne, Anthony Maher, Brian McGuire, David Moran, Aidan O’Mahony, Marc Ó Sé, Donnacha Walsh

Banisteoir: Ger O’Sullivan (Corcaigh)

Roghnóir: Ger O’Keeffe (Ciarraí)

The team will not be announced until just before the game on Sunday.

Connacht Football Panel

Joss Moore, Gareth Bradshaw, Sean Armstrong, Paul Conroy, Danny Cummins, Tom Hughes, Eoin Concannon (Galway) Gary Reynolds, Emlyn Mulligan, Cathal McCrann (Leitrim) Mark Gottsche(London) Robert Hennelly, Kevin McLoughlin, Aidan O’ Shea, Jason Gibbons, Michael Conroy (Mayo) Niall Daly, Cathal Cregg (Roscommon) Neil Ewing, David Kelly, Pat Hughes, Mark Brehony (Sligo)