Ulster to face Munster in London

Ulster and Munster will face off in the final of the M Donnelly Inteprovincial SFC in November after both won their semi-finals on Saturday.

Ulstar staged a sensational second-half comeback to book their place in the final after a 1-14 to 1-10 semi-final win over Leinster.

Playing with the wind, Joe Kernan’s side scored 12 unanswered points in the second half after they had gone in seven points adrift at the break.

Kernan’s men started the better in the Armagh venue with an early goal scored by Joe McMahon. Benny Coulter and Paul Finlay were involved in the build-up before the Tyrone man tucked the ball past Westmeath goalkeeper Gary Connaughton.

However, rather than let that great start boost them, Ulster found themselves completely overran for the remainder of the first half as Leinster took advantage of playing with the breeze and confidently started to fire over the scores.

John O’Loughlin, Joe Sheridan, Denis Glennon and Bernard Brogan all raised the white flag before a brief respite for Ulster from the Young Footballer of the Year, Donegal’s Michael Murphy. However, that was Ulster’s last point until just before half-time and Paul Flynn quickly cancelled it out.

Dublin U21 star Dean Rock, the son of the great Barney, then hit three points without reply and Paul Caffrey’s men were seven clear when Rock set up Meath man Sheridan to slam the ball to the back of John Devine’s net.

Rock and Paddy Bradley then traded scores as the visitors went in at half-time with a very healthy lead of 1-9 to 1-2.

The second half began with another Leinster score as Sheridan tagged over a fine free against the wind.

However, that finally seemed to stir Kernan’s troops into action and they kick-started a breathtaking response with Bradley’s second score of the day from out on the sideline. Finlay, Coulter and Kevin Hughes all then hit efforts over the bar to cut the gap to four points 13 minutes into the second period, Leinster still ahead on a score of 1-10 to 1-6.

Bradley then got his third before the excellent Conor Gormley reduced Ulster arrears to just two, Gormley and Hughes now having a huge command in the way the game was going.

And that way was Ulster’s as Bradley and sub Danny Hughes levelled the game at 1-10 apiece with five minutes left to play.

Leinster were stunned and it got worse for them as Ulster did not relent, going in front for the first time since early in the first half and racing clear, Bradley hitting two more with Hughes and Aaron Kernan also knocking over as the home side ensured their advancement to the Ruislip final next month.

As for Munster, Ger O’Sullivan’s men downed Connacht just, by 1-13 to 1-10.

Munster’s Cork men were to the fore as they edged their western counterparts, Paddy Kelly, Donncha O’Conner and Colm O’Neill all scoring early points

Sligo’s David Kelly rammed in a penalty after his initial effert was saved by Tipperary’s Pat Fitzgerald, but for Munster, the talented Kelly tagged on a point and O’Connor pointed two more,followed by another brace from Waterford’s Gary Hurney.

With half-time approaching Limerick’s Pa Ranahan ensured Munster were well on top as he blasted past Mayo custodian David Clarke to ensure a 1-9 to 1-3 lead at the interval.

Peadar Gardiner had the first point for Connacht on the resumption but a pointed free from O’Neill and a Liam O’Lionnain effort had Munster seven points clear and they had a relatively untroubled path through to the final.