Munster Footballers win in Quagmire

M Donnelly Inter-Provincial Football Championship:
Munster 1-5 Ulster 0-5

Munster atoned for last season’s final defeat to Ulster, by making it a double victory over the Northern province in the M Donnelly Interprovincial Football Championship semi-final at Fermoy on Saturday afternoon.

In atrocious conditions for football with heavy rain all through, a superb 41st-minute goal by Cork’s Nicholas Murphy proved the difference between the sides.

After Donncha O’Connor handpassed to Murphy in the centre, the midfielder hit a stunning half-volley from 25 yards to the roof of the net. It was a sublime strike that put Munster into a lead that they never relinquished.

The opening half was a tight affair with both teams struggling to adapt to the woeful conditions. The only scores notched in the first quarter were two Tommy Freeman frees for Ulster but Munster did spurn two good goal chances with Patrick Kelly and Thomas O’Gorman both shooting wide.

Munster eventually got off the mark when their best forward, O’Connor, pointed and soon after the swung over a beauty from the wing. Brian Mallon put Ulster back in front before an O’Connor free left it 0-3 apiece at the interval.

In the second half Ulster struck first when Eoin Bradley converted a free but then Munster pounced for that wonderful Murphy goal. From there to the end Munster needed their defence to be strong as Ulster attacked strongly. Substitute Stephen O’Neill clipped over a free in the 50th minute yet Munster remained composed to add the insurance scores.

Daniel Goulding scored a free in the 52nd minute and his Cork teammate O’Connor crowned a fine display with a free in the 60th minute to nudge his team three points in front.

Yet Munster did need to survive one late scare to overcome Joe Kernan’s Ulster men. A long ball into the Munster goal spilled out of the defence’s grasp and after a frantic scramble it took Murphy to boot off the line and clear the danger, ensuring Munster’s place in next week’s final.

Scorers:
Munster: D O’Connor 0-4 (0-3f), N Murphy 1-0, D Goulding 0-1 (0-1f).
Ulster: T Freeman 0-2 (0-2f), B Mallon, E Bradley (0-1f), S O’Neill (0-1f) 0-1 each.

MUNSTER: P Fitzgerald (Tipperary); D Duggan (Cork), J McCarthy (Limerick), P Reidy (Kerry); T Ó’Sé (Kerry), S Lavin (Limerick), T O’Gorman (Waterford); J Galvin (Limerick), N Murphy (Cork); P Kelly (Cork), D O’Connor (Cork), M O’Gorman (Waterford); D Goulding (Cork), M Cussen (Cork), I Ryan (Limerick).
Subs: A O’Connor (Cork) for Kelly 38, L O’Líonáin (Waterford) for M O’Gorman 55, M Crowley (Limerick) for Ryan 60.

ULSTER: J Devine (Tyrone); F Moriarty (Armagh), V Corey (Monaghan), K Lacey (Donegal); D Harte (Tyrone), C Gormley (Tyrone), A Carr (Down); D Clerkin (Monaghan), R Kavanagh (Donegal); B Dooher (Tyrone), B Mallon (Armagh), D Hughes (Monaghan); S Johnston (Cavan), E Bradley (Derry), T Freeman (Monaghan).
Subs: K Toner (Armagh) for Johnston 35, S O’Neill (Tyrone) for Bradley 47, E Lennon (Monaghan) for Carr 47, R Flanagan (Cavan) for Hughes 49, R Woods (Monaghan) for Kavanagh 54.

Referee: Syl Doyle (Wexford).