Daire O Baoill, Ulster, and John Maher, Connacht, in action at Croke Park. Photo by Stephen Marken/Sportsfile
Allianz GAA Football Interprovincial series Final
Ulster 2-23 Connacht 4-15
Ulster win 2-1 on penalties
By Paul Keane at Croke Park
Tailteann Cup winner Odhran Murdock slotted the winning penalty at the end of a dramatic penalty shoot-out as Ulster concluded the Allianz interprovincial football series on a winning note.
Having early flicked a crucial goal in regular time, the big Down man then converted two penalties in a memorable shoot-out that required a dozen kicks to yield an eventual winner.
Truth be told, the quality was low with only three of the 12 penalties scored - Murdock converted both of Ulster's scores while Enda Smith converted one for Connacht - but the northerners won't care too much after pinching the provincial bragging rights.
The result may have been considered irrelevant by some given that the tournament was revived merely to road test the Football Review Committee's suite of trial rules, or 'rules enhancements'.
But both provinces certainly battled like there was something significant on the line, even if it was only bragging rights in the end.
Rian O'Neill was terrific for Ulster in regular time, kicking six scores but tallying 0-8 given that two of those points were long-range ones from beyond the experimental 40m arc.
It was also the All-Ireland winning Armagh forward that supplied the long delivery in for Murdock to fist home a goal late in normal time which, at that stage, left Ulster two points ahead.
But Galway's Johnny Heaney then struck his second two-pointer within a matter of minutes to tie up the game at 2-23 (31) to 4-15 (31), ensuring penalties would be required to separate the teams.
Matthew Tierney scored two of Connacht's four goals in normal time with Enda Smith and Diarmuid Murtagh striking the others for the westerners.
Connacht grabbed half of their four goals in normal time early on, giving them a vital cushion that sustained them throughout an entertaining first-half.
Tierney and Smith converted their two goals for Connacht inside the opening five minutes and with four points for each of them it amounted to a terrific start.
Ulster could make a decent case for being the better team overall in the opening half, scoring 11 times to Connacht's eight, yet Connacht still led by 2-6 to 0-11 at the interval.
That would be a slender one-point lead ordinarily but under the FRC's rules enhancements they were three points clear.
Like the earlier shield final, it was a lively encounter and a notable step up on the semi-finals fare of 24 hours earlier.
Even in that short time frame, the players had noticeably gotten to grips with what was being asked of them and the 3/3 rule passed off without any fuss.
Connacht goalkeeper Connor Gleeson kicked a '45 too, earning him two points for a long-range strike beyond the arc.
But goalies like Gleeson are also being challenged by the new directive that all kick-outs must travel beyond the arc. Popping a short one off sideways simply isn't an option for them and longer kick-outs are leading to more successes for teams pressing up aggressively.
Ulster finally drew level early in the second-half, 0-14 to 2-6, and it was a pearler from Aidan Forker who sliced one over from distance and deserved his two-point reward.
Niall Morgan, Man of the Match for Ulster in last night's semi-final defeat of Connacht, showed his bravery by dashing beyond the half-way line, allowing him to receive a pass, but dropped a long-range point attempt short.
Ulster inevitably nudged ahead through a Kieran McGeary score but Connacht's third goal, from Murtagh, looked like it could be another game changer.
It didn't turn out that way though as Ulster hit the afterburners again, this time reeling off 1-5 without response - a goal, two scores from beyond the arc, both by O'Neill, and a regular Mark Bradley point - to take control of the encounter.
Ulster led 1-21 to 3-8 at the third quarter but the fun was just beginning as it turned out.
Ulster thought they'd clinched it when Murdock flicked home their second goal in the 59th minute but Heaney had other ideas and penalties were ultimately required to find a winner.
Morgan was terrific for Ulster in the shoot-out, saving four of Connacht's six penalty kicks.
* Scoring key (4pt goal - 2pt score - 1pt score)
Scorers for Ulster: Rian O'Neill 0-8 (0-2-4), Darren McCurry 0-5 (0-2f), Odhran Murdock 1-0, Ross McQuillan 1-0, Niall Grimley 0-3, Aidan Forker 0-3 (0-1-1), Conn Kilpatrick 0-2, Kieran McGeary 0-1, Mark Bradley 0-1.
Scorers for Connacht: Matthew Tierney 2-1, Diarmuid Murtagh 1-2 (1-0-2), Enda Smith 1-1, Johnny Heaney 0-5 (0-2-1), Connor Gleeson 0-2 (0-1-0), Aidan O'Shea 0-1, Jack Carney 0-1, Donie Smith 0-1 (1f), Ciaran Murtagh 0-1
Ulster: Niall Morgan; Diarmuid Baker, Paddy Burns, Padraig Faulkner; Daniel Guinness, Aidan Forker, Eoin McEvoy; Niall Grimley, Conn Kilpatrick; Daire O Baoill, Rian O'Neill, Ciaran Thompson; Odhran Murdock, Oisin Conaty, Darren McCurry.
Interchange: Joe McElroy, Mark Bradley, Sean McNally, Oisin O'Neill, Niall Toner, Gerry Smith, Barry McBennett, Aidan Clarke, Eoin McElholm, Ross McQuillan, Pat Havern, Marc Jordan, Peter McGrane, Ronan McCaffrey, Kieran McGeary.
Connacht: Connor Gleeson; Johnny McGrath, Brian Stack, Sean Mulkerrin; Cillian McDaid, John Daly, Eoghan McLaughlin; Jack Carney, John Maher; Matthew Tierney, Barry McNulty, Enda Smith; Diarmuid Murtagh, Aidan O'Shea, Paul Towey.
Interchange: Darragh Rooney, Paul Towey, Shane Brosnan, Shay Rafter, Joey Grace, Bob Tuohy, Daire Cregg, Conor Carroll, Ruaidhri Fallon, Mark Diffley, Johnny Heaney, Shane Cunnane, Ultan Harney, Conor Cox, Donie Smith, Ciarain Murtagh, Diarmuid Duffy, Fergal Boland, Pat Spillane, Aidan McLoughlin.
Referee: David Coldrick (Meath).
