Sheridan's Brilliance Brings The Cup To Leinster

Interprovincial Football Final
Leinster 2-14 Connacht 2-11

By Dennis O'Brien

A last minute goal superbly taken by Leinster's Joe Sheridan broke the match deadlock crashing any Connacht hopes of their first title since 1969 and securing for Leinster their second Interprovincial title in succession.

After a heroic second-half comeback by Connacht to level matters with time at a premium, the 34th minute arrived to see Leinster's Conal Keaney send in a high ball which Sheridan somehow fielded under pressure with his right hand and expertly dispatched the ball into the top left hand corner for a cracking goal.

That score won it for the Leinstermen in the end but Connacht didn't lose it there, they lost it way back in the first half after a dismal showing that left them six points adrift at the break. Sure they fought back to level things with an Alan Dillon conversion just before Sheridan's strike but they left it all far too late and time and fate eventually won out

But credit Leinster who took the game to their opponents early on and seemed to have an easier time of getting scores, and crucial scores at that. Their first goal was one such effort.

The sides had shared opening points before the 6th minute saw a lively looking Connacht surge into the lead after Alan Kerins passed to corner forward Derek Savage who neatly found a spot low into the far corner of the net.

Leinster undaunted showing promise upfront soon had things squared away as they struck back immediately. Mark Carpenter from Carlow fisted home an easy rebound into an empty net after goalie David Clarke strove to save from Padraig Clancy who had just tested the Boston crossbar.

Sides level - game on? Wrong conclusion.

Instead, Leinster piled on the pressure tearing apart a porous Connacht defense. Five points were struck in Leinster's favor in the next eight minutes, the West fell asleep.

Carpenter had helped himself to his second point of the day while Clancy put over as did the lively looking full forward Joe Sheridan, with Conal Keaney and Longford minor Brian Kavanagh sharing a further brace.

Connacht meanwhile had gone missing. Midfield spoils were going Leinster's way with the Laois pairing of Clancy and Brendan Quigley offering plenty of supply upfront while center back and captain Colin Moran was commanding.

Shortly into the 2nd quarter saw a missed opportunity for Connacht. Michael Meehan flew towards goal and a green flag looked on. However, he should have attempted first himself but fisted across to Conor Mortimor who got bottled up by a sticky back unit and the resultant 45 was wasted. A good chance gone-a-begging.

The game slipped into the dangerous dull affair territory as Leinster ahead by five and in apparent control forged further ahead by the 27th minute when Keaney converted a free and drove over another with a sweet left foot straight between the posts.

Connacht began repairs with five left in the half. Center forward Ger Brady was hauled ashore and Roscommon man Karl Mannion was sent into the fray. Meehan switched out to the center and Mannion went to the edge of the square.

The West finally awoke from a scoreless slumber since the 6th minute when Alan Dillon converted but Leinster answered with their impressive Kildare man John Doyle hitting high and over.

Connacht needed answers at half time to crack a solid Leinster defense and Sean Davey and Caoimhin O'Neill were introduced on the restart to see if they could solve problems.

Davey began well at midfield and soon Connacht had a bit of a stir about them.

The sides swapped points before Connacht began to fire up front. Dillon sent over his side's first from play, which tells a lot, Mortimor and Mannion followed suit.

Mannion at full was causing problems for Barry Cahill in front of the goal as Connacht began to claw back the lead to just three and the largely partisan crowd favoring the West began to find voice and finally Connacht spirit had arrived on the scene.

The game raced into the last quarter with tension, and happily, the large crowd in Boston were enthused.

Mannion again doing well, broke a ball for Caoimhin O'Neill to run onto and he made no mistake - sides level.

A John Doyle free steadied Leinster's nerve but Connacht, a different team now, were battling and a great weaving run in attack from Michael Meehan saw him find the back of the net and the Connacht fans felt the long 37 year barren spell was about to end with their heroes two in front with nine left on the clock.

Leinster showing character fought back and dispelled arrears with a Doyle over after more assistance from Mannion while Meath ace Joe Sheridan tied things almost immediately.

Then a Leinster attack came from good defensive work and the ball went to Keaney who found the big man Sheridan on the edge of the square and his supreme effort - a candidate for goal of the year - broke Connacht hearts.

Defending champions Leinster were able to find that bit extra when needed in Boston while Connacht after a good start lapsed into complacency and went sight seeing for 25 minutes of that first half and that cost them dearly in the end.

Leinster selector Sean Dempsey afterwards said that the last minute goal was vital, "Connacht made a fabulous comeback to go two points ahead near the end and fortunately we got the goal to seal the victory."

Asked about how he felt on retaining the Interprovincial title Dempsey said it was a marvelous achievement; "We said to the lads before today's game, to win one is a great thing but to be a great team you need to put two back to back and that's what we did and we're happy to have got the result today."

Teams & Scorers:
Leinster: G. Connaughton, A. Fennelly, B. Cahill, M. Ennis, C. King, C. Moran, K. Slattery, B. Quigley, P. Clancy 0-1, D. Lally, J. Dyle 0-4, M. Carpenter 1-2, C. Keaney 0-4 (0-3 frs), J. Sheridan 1-2, B. Kavanagh 0-1. Subs, A. Mangan for Kavanagh, T. Walsh for Clancy, D. Clarke for Lally,
Connacht: D. Clarke, D. Heaney 0-1, F. Hanly, D. Burke, S. Daly, D. Blake, S. McDermot, D. Brady, P. Harte, A. Kerins, G. Brady, A .Dillion 0-2 (0-1 (fr), C. Mortimor 0-5 (0-3 (fr's), M. Meehan 1-1 (0-1 (45), D. Savage 1-0. Subs K. Mannion 0-1 for G. Brady, S. Davey for Harte, C. O'Neill 0-1 for Kerins, M. Breheny for Dillion.