Interprovincial Championship SF Final / Ulster 0-14 Connacht 0-9: Ulster footballers crowned a memorable centenary year for their provincial Council when they defeated Connacht in style at Brewster Park, Enniskillen before a crowd of 3,000.
That they did so without some of their better known players was all the more impressive and the significance of the win was not lost on manager Brian McEniff.
"At half time when I felt we were not doing well I told the players what it meant to win a Railway Cup medal. Only three in the squad had such medals and I used that as a motivating factor."
At half time, despite leading by a point (0-6 to 0-5), Ulster had played second fiddle. Connacht had some superb performers all over the park, in particular defender Kieran Fitzgerald, half backs Sean de Paor and Frankie Grehan, while Padraig Joyce pulled the strings in midfield.
Ulster, though, could thank a smart start and especially credit the marksmanship of Stephen McDonnell, who finished with a tally of 0-8, and they went 0-4 to 0-1 in front before Joyce made his influence tell.
He was involved in Connacht's next three scores but somehow Ulster regained the lead coming up to half time, defender Anthony Forde getting a vital point.
The second half almost totally belonged to Ulster. Full forward Enda Muldoon was brought back to man-mark de Paor and as a result Joyce's influence waned.
Connacht were placed under sustained pressure as Ulster stretched their lead with McDonnell (2), Christy Toye and Muldoo creating a five-point margin after just 19 minutes.
Connacht badly lacked the leadership skills of Conor Mortimer, who had excelled in the previous day's semi-final victory over Munster. However, he was carrying an injury (cruciate ligament) for which he will now have surgery and he is expected to be out of action for a few months.
There was something special for the home supporters when Enniskillen club man Tom Brewster, who also had a marvellous semi-final after coming on as a substitute against Leinster, was selected from the start.
Playing on the pitch named after his late father, Michael, he won a third Railway Cup cap for the family, brother Paul having also represented the province.
ULSTER: M McVeigh, E McNulty, N McCusker, N McCready; A Forde (0-1), B Monaghan, R McMenamin; G McCarton, P McGrane (0-1); T Brewster, S Cavanagh, L Doyle; S McDonnell (0-8, 5 frees), E Muldoon (0-2), K Brady. Subs: T Freeman (0-1) for Brady; C Toye (0-1) for Doyle; P Loughran for Brewster.
CONNACHT: S Curran, K Fitzgerald, G Fahy, M McGuinness; S de Paor (0-1), F Grehan, J Nallen; K Walsh, J Bergin, G Cox, P Joyce (0-3, 3 frees), D Savage (0-1); M Clancy (0-1), C Mortimer (0-1), F Dolan (0-2). Subs: J Gill for Cox; T Mortimer for C Mortimer; S O'Neill for Walsh; D Casey for Fitzgerald (injured), G McGowan for Gill.
Referee: E Murtagh (Longford).
