Ulster regroup for second half

Interprovincial Football Semi-final/ Ulster 1-15 Connacht 2-9 : Thanks to a very good second-half display Ulster advanced to the final in Croke Park next weekend when they defeated Connacht in Ballybofey on Saturday night.

Brian McEniff kept his side in the dressingroom for some time at the break and his talk had the desired effect.

A two-goal blitz by Connacht five minutes into the game put Connacht on the front foot for the first half. The goals came in the first six minutes with Andy Moran and Declan Maxwell finishing well. Connacht led by 2-5 to 0-8 at the break but within minutes of the restart a point and goal from Paul Finlay put Ulster on their way.

Ger Heneghan did level for Connacht but points from Dan Gordon, a great fisted effort by Kevin Cassidy and Aaron Kernan left Ulster three up. Seán Armstrong and Thomas Freeman exchanged points on two occasions before Freeman put four points between the sides with five minutes left. Connacht had a goal chance in the final minutes when substitute Frankie Dolan broke through but a great last-gasp block by Kevin McCloy denied him, while Andy Moran had the final point of the game minutes from the end.

ULSTER : J Reilly; B Owens, K McCloy, K Lacey; A Kernan (0-1) , C Gormley, K Cassidy (0-1) ; E Lennon, D Gordon (0-3) ; D Clerkin, S Kavanagh, P Finlay (1-4, three frees); T Freeman (0-4, one free), G Pierson (0-1), E Muldoon (0-1). Subs : C McFadden for Pierson; C Toye for Clerkin

CONNACHT : P Greene; C Harrison, F Hanley, J McKeon; D Meehan, D Blake, K Higgins (0-1) ; R McGarrity, B Cullinane; M Brehony (0-1, free), S Armstrong (0-3, one free), A Moran (1-2) ; C Cregg, D Maxwell (1-0), K Mannion (0-1). Subs: Ger Heneghan (0-1) for Cregg; F Dolan for Maxwell; M Finneran for Cullinane

Referee: P Fox (Westmeath).

© 2007 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times