Conn Kilpatrick of Ulster is tackled by Ian Maguire of Munster during the Allianz GAA Football Interprovincial Championship semi-final match between Munster and Ulster at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile.
Allianz interprovincial football series semi-final
ULSTER 0-23 (23) MUNSTER 2-11 (19)
By Paul Keane at Croke Park
The impact of four points for a goal in the Allianz interprovincial football series was clear as Munster pushed victors Ulster all the way in an intriguing semi-final.
Ulster ultimately came out on top and were grateful to both the defensive and attacking abilities of goalkeeper Niall Morgan who bombed over one long-range score, yielding two points, and pulled off several important saves too.
Ulster didn't actually score a goal themselves though and with both Sean Walsh and Kerry's Diarmuid O'Connor netting for Munster, the increased reward of four points for a goal kept the southerners in it right until the very end.
John Cleary's Munster got the deficit down to just two points late on, following O'Connor's goal, before Ulster points from Antrim's Marc Jordan and Derry's Niall Toner which sealed the win.
As a result, Ulster will return to Croke Park tomorrow evening to take on Connacht in the final while Munster and Leinster, who lost this evening's semi-finals, will contest tomorrow evening's shield final.
Ulster can take plenty of pride from their battling win but the real intrigue was around the new rules in operation with the competition being used to road test the Football Review Committee's various rules enhancements.
Like the first semi-final, there were no advanced marks claimed in the game while the solo-and-go option wasn't utilised as much as may have been expected.
Less congestion throughout the pitch was notable though, as a result of both teams being required to keep at least three players in the opposition's half at all times.
It was also interesting to see that Morgan wasn't put off by the restriction on backpassing to goalkeepers. Once he left his area he was only able to take a pass from a team-mate beyond the half-way line but Morgan duly gambled by darting forward on several occasions, scoring a long-range point from play in the first-half which was worth two points under the new scoring system. Morgan also set up the Jordan point late on as he showed his bravery and willingness to attack.
Ulster were ahead throughout and were 0-14 to 1-6 up at the interval but could never quite shake off a determined Munster who were hauled right back into it late on when O'Connor netted.
The Kerry man finished well for his 56th minute goal having berated himself only a couple of minutes earier for missing a goal chance when he pulled on a rebound and saw his shot go over.
It was noteworthy too on the evening that both referees, Martin McNally and Barry Tiernan, used their vanishing foam on a number of occasions to mark the point from where frees were to be taken.
In all, Ulster scored two long-range points, from beyond the 40m arc, through Morgan and Niall Grimley, while Munster only managed one, from Killian Spillane in the first-half.
* Scoring key (4pt goal - 2pt score - 1pt score)
Ulster scorers: Niall Grimley 0-4 (0-1-2), Joe McElroy 0-2, Darren McCurry 0-2 (1f), Niall Morgan 0-2 (0-1-0), Mark Bradley 0-2, Daniel Guinness 0-1, Daire O Baoill 0-1, Ciaran Thompson 0-1, Rian O'Neill 0-1, Eoin McElholm 0-1, Odhran Murdock 0-1, Oisin O'Neill 0-1, Kieran McGeary 0-1 (1f), Pat Havern 0-1 (1f), Marc Jordan 0-1, Niall Toner 0-1 (1f).
Munster scorers: Diarmuid O'Connor 1-1 (1-0-1), Sean Walsh 1-0, Killian Spillane 0-4 (0-1-2), Chris Og Jones 0-2, Emmet McMahon 0-1, Darragh Brennan 0-1, Ian Maguire 0-1, Aaron Griffin 0-1.
Ulster: Niall Morgan; Diarmuid Baker, Eoin McEvoy, Paddy Burns; Daniel Guinness, Aidan Forker, Daire O Baoill; Niall Grimley, Odhran Murdock; Joe McElroy, Rian O'Neill, Ciaran Thompson; Oisin Conaty, Darren McCurry, Eoin McElholm.
Subs used: Oisin O'Neill, Jason Irwin, Mark Bradley, Gerry Smith, Ross McQuillan, Barry McBennett, Padraig Faulkner, Pat Havern, Niall Toner, Conn Kilpatrick, Kieran McGeary, Marc Jordan, Aidan Clarke.
Munster: Chris Kelly; Sean Meehan, Jimmy Feehan, Damien Burke; Alan Sweeney, Tommy Walsh, Mattie Taylor; Diarmuid O'Connor, Brian McNamara; James Naughton, Eoin Cleary, Emmet McMahon; Danny Neville, Chris Og Jones, Killian Spillane.
Subs used: Sean Walsh, Darragh Brennan Tipperary, Ian Maguire, Aaron Griffin, Maurice Shanley, Mark Stokes, Paul Walsh, Colm O'Callaghan, Caoimhin Walsh.
Referee: Barry Tiernan (Dublin).
