Cloonan goals see Connacht through

Munster 1-16 Connacht 2-17

Eugene Cloonan showed off his footballing skills in Ennis to guide Connacht into the 2006 M Donnelly Interprovincial hurling final.

The Athenry man, lining out at full-forward in an all-Galway XV, kicked home a goal in each half as last year's Interpro champions were beaten.

Munster led 0-10 to 1-06 at half-time with Eoin Kelly and Niall Gilligan particularly effective. Cloonan beat Cork 'keeper Anthony Nash in the 15th-minute.

Tipperary's Kelly whipped home a 44th-minute goal but Connacht secured only their seventh win in 32 Interpro meetings with Munster when Cloonan, who struck four second half frees, netted three minutes from time.

Munster: A Nash (Cork); G O'Grady (Clare), S Lucey (Limerick), S Hickey (Limerick); D Fitzgerald (Tipperary), C Plunkett (Clare), A Markham (Clare); P Kelly (Tipperary), M O'Brien (Limerick); D McMahon (Clare), M Walsh (Waterford), T Carmody (Clare); A O'Shaughnessy (Limerick), N Gilligan (Clare), E Kelly (Tipperary).

Connacht (all Galway): L Donoghue; D Joyce, G Mahon, T Regan; D Collins, R Murray, S Kavanagh; F Healy, A Kerins; K Broderick, D Forde, D Tierney; G Farragher, E Cloonan, N Healy.

Referee: Brian Gavin (Offaly)