Connacht edge thrilling clash in Parnell Park
INTER-PRO SFC SEMI-FINAL
CONNACHT……………………………. 2-17
LEINSTER……………………………… 1-18
By Daire Walsh
A LATE goal from Sligo’s Niall Murphy was crucial at Parnell Park, as reigning champions Connacht defeated Leinster at the end of a thrilling Interprovincial Senior Football Championship semi-final.
Having trailed for much of the proceedings, Leinster stormed into the ascendancy for the first time in the latter stages – thanks in no small part to strong showings by John Heslin, Kieran Martin and substitute Shane O’Rourke. Yet, Connacht produced a strong rally to progress to an upcoming decider against the winner of today’s clash between Ulster and Munster.
Connacht were aiming to defend the title they won back in 2014 (their first in 45 years), and they raced into an early three-point lead courtesy of scores from Murphy, Danny Cummins and Damien Comer.
Leinster responded with a long-distance free by Westmeath’s Heslin, but John Tobin’s Westerners cancelled out this effort through lively Sligo attacker Murphy.
Jason Doherty (one of three Mayo players in the Connacht squad) added a brace of frees during the first-quarter, but thanks to the reliable place-kicking of Heslin, Leinster kept in touch.
Fintan Cregg added his name to the Connacht scoresheet on 15 minutes, but Leinster were beginning to settle as the half wore on. Heslin and Lake County compatriot Kieran Martin reduced the gap for Sean Kelly’s men, but after Heslin dropped a free into the arms of All-Star goalie David Clarke, Connacht issued them with a hammer blow.
Excellent approach work from Galway’s Johnny Heaney and Cregg set-up Ciaran Murtagh for a cool finish past Offaly netminder Alan Mulhall from close-range, and despite conceding back-to-back scores to Darragh Foley and John McGrath, subsequent unanswered points by Cummins, Ciaran Murtagh and Doherty helped Connacht to develop a 1-10 to 0-7 interval cushion.
Heslin and Doherty traded points after the restart, but although the Mayo man added to his own personal haul, Leinster scores from Heslin (two) and Johnny Byrne of Kildare were supplemented by a Martin goal.
This set the game up for a tantalising conclusion, and following three consecutive points by substitute Shane O’Rourke, John O’Loughlin and the ever-influential Heslin, Leinster held a slender advantage with just six minutes remaining.
Yet, Connacht were able to find an extra gear in the closing moments, and after Cummins had added to a Murphy equaliser, he set-up the Yeats County man for a clinical three-pointer.
Wing-back Niall Daly was also on target for Connacht, and in spite of late contributions by the Westmeath duo Paul Sharry and Heslin, Leinster ran out of time in their search for a game-changing score.
CONNACHT: D Clarke (Mayo); K McDonnell (Sligo), N McInerney (Roscommon), D Wynne (Galway); N Daly (Roscommon), G O’Donnell (Galway), J Heaney (Galway); E Smith (Roscommon), K Higgins (Roscommon); F Cregg (Roscommon), C Murtagh (Roscommon), J Doherty (Mayo); N Murphy (Sligo), D Comer (Galway), D Cummins (Galway).
Subs: S Mullooly (Roscommon), C O’Shea (Mayo); D Murtagh (Roscommon); Emlyn Mulligan (Leitrim), P Cunningham (Offaly),A Varley (Galway), J McManus (Roscommon), D Wrynn (Leitrim).
Scorers: J Doherty 0-6 (4f), N Murphy 1-3, C Murtagh 1-1, D Cummins 0-3, N Daly, E Smith, F Cregg, D Comer 0-1 each.
LEINSTER: A Mulhall (Offaly); Kevin Meaney (Laois), D Daly (Dublin); D Healy (Wicklow), J Small (Dublin), J Dolan (Westmeath); J O’Loughlin (Laois) 0-1, D Foley (Carlow) 0-1; K Martin (Westmeath), P Sharry (Westmeath), J McGrath (Wicklow); N Flynn (Kildare), J Heslin (Westmeath), N Dunne (Offaly).
Subs: J Byrne (Kildare), D Byrne (Louth), D Kingston (Laois), D St Ledger (Carlow), G Guilfoyle (Offaly), B Malone (Wexford), P Cunningham (Offaly), P Collum (Longford).
Scorers: J Heslin 0-10 (6f), K Martin 1-1, J O’Loughlin, D Foley, P Sharry, J McGrath, J Byrne, D Byrne, S O’Rourke 0-1 each.
Referee: N Mooney (Cavan).