Connacht ease past Munster in interpro final

Connacht 1-15 Munster 0-9

Connacht's hurlers had a double scores win - 1-15 to 0-9 - over Munster in today's Martin Donnelly & Co. Interprovincial final at Pearse stadium, in a game which saw both Dan Shanahan and David Tierney sent off.

In front a poor attendance of 500, and in poor conditions, Vincent Mullins' all-Galway side earned Connacht's first title since 1999 - and eleventh in all - as David Donoghue scored the only goal six minutes into the second half.

They led 0-10 to 0-7 at the break, despite Munster beginning well with the Salthill wind at their backs.

Points from Niall Gilligan, the only Clare man on Donie Nealon's side, and three frees from Tipperary's Eoin Kelly saw the visitors 0-5 to 0-3 in front after 10 minutes.

Connacht then hit six unanswered points, with Kevin Broderick, David Collins, Alan Kerins and skipper Ollie Fahy on target.

However Kelly snapped Munster back within three in first half injury time with his fourth and fifth points.

2004 All-Star Kelly swapped points with Mark Kerins on the restart before Connacht corner forward Donoghue drilled past Tipp veteran Brendan Cummins from close range for a 1-11 to 0-9 lead.

Waterford's Shanahan, already on a yellow card, was dismissed on 52 minutes by Dublin referee Eamon Morris, for striking Connacht midfielder Collins.

Two minutes later, Tierney walked for a similar offence as the game petered out with Cork's All-Ireland winning marksman Joe Deane kept quiet.

CONNACHT (all Galway): L Donoghue; D Joyce, S Kavanagh, O Canning; F Healy, L Hodgins, F Moore; D Collins, D Tierney; A Kerins, M Kerins, K Broderick; D Donoghue, O Fahy (Capt), N Healy.

MUNSTER: B Cummins (Tipperary); P Curran (Tipperary), P Maher (Tipperary), J Murray (Waterford); E Corcoran (Tipperary), R Curran (Cork), J Gardiner (Cork); T Browne (Waterford) (Capt), O Moran (Limerick); D Shanahan (Waterford), N Gilligan (Clare), N Moran (Limerick); J Mullane (Waterford), E Kelly (Tipperary), J Deane (Cork).