Interprovincial Football Championship: Connacht piped Munster in an enthralling Interprovincial football semi-final at Ballyforan, Roscommon last night.
Munster looked on their way to the final when a brilliant goal by Waterford's Gary Hurney gave them a three -point lead close to the end of normal time. However, Connacht midfielder David Brady punched the ball to the Munster net for an injury-time goal, which sent the tie into extra time.
Points by Ger Brady and Conor Mortimer again were the only scores in extra time and they were enough to give the home side victory.
Connacht led 0-7 to 1-3 at half-time with Mayo duo Conor Mortimer and Alan Dillon in good scoring form.
However, a superb goal by Kerry star Kieran Donaghy ignited Munster's challenge. And backed by the strong breeze in the second half Munster forged ahead in the third quarter.
But a very committed Connacht side battled ferociously against the wind as the game developed into a tit-for-tat battle.
Earlier, Connacht started with the aid of a strong breeze and had the better of the earlier exchanges.
Conor Mortimer renewed acquaintances with Tom O'Sullivan following their duel in the recent All-Ireland final and it was the Mayo man who gave Connacht the lead in the fifth minute.
Mortimer went on to add three more points to his tally in the first half as the Westerners went 0-5 to 0-0 ahead by the 17th minute.
Munster got their first score with a point in the 20th minute when Kerry's Mike Frank Russell converted a free into the breeze.
A minute later Donaghy drove a blistering shot into the corner of the home net after receiving a pass from Russell.
Connacht replied with a point from Finian Hanley, but Munster then drew level with points from Russell (free) and Cork's Connor McCarthy.
In first half injury-time Alan Dillon converted a free to give Connacht a 0-7 to 1-3 lead at half-time.
Backed by the elements, Munster dominated the early stages of the second half and early points from Gary Hurney, Kevin O'Sullivan and Tommy Griffin saw the southerners go 1-6 to 0-7 ahead.
However, a committed Connacht side battled back against the breeze and fought their way back into the game.
Connacht's substitutes Ger Brady and Sean Davy were both on target as the game developed into an intriguing tit-for-tat battle.
The sides were level on several occasions during the second half and with five minutes left they were deadlocked at 1-10 to 0-13.
When Waterford's Hurney scored a wonderful goal it looked like the match-winner. However, there was another twist in the tale as Mayo veteran midfielder David Brady punched to the net for a dramatic equalising goal.
CONNACHT: D Clarke, K Fitzgerald, F Hanley (0-1), D Burke, D Heaney, D Blake, B McWeeney, D Brady (1-0), J Bergin, A Kerins, M Brehony, E O'Hara, C Mortimer (0-8, 4 frees), A Dillon (0-2 one free), G Heneghan. Subs: S Davey (0-1) for Brehony; D Meehan for McWeeney; G Brady (0-3) for Heneghan; S Daly for Heaney; D Savage for Davey; P Harte for D Brady; S McDermott for D Meehan.
MUNSTER: P Fitzgerald, K O'Connor, M McCarthy, T O'Sullivan, M Shields, G Spillane, A O'Mahony, N Murphy, T Griffin (0-1), C McCarthy (0-1), G Hurney (1-2), S Buckley, K O'Sullivan (0-1), K Donaghy (1-0), MF Russell (0-4, all frees). Subs: W Hennessy for C McCarthy; J Galvin for Buckley; J Hayes for K O'Sullivan; B Lacey for Hennessy; G Quinlan for N Murphy; C McCarthy for Hayes; N Considine for Shields.
Referee: J McKee (Armagh).
