Munster 2-20
Leinster 2-16

By Jackie Cahill at Semple Stadium, Thurles

Munster’s Paraic Maher celebrates with Dan McCormack after the game.

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

AARON SHANAGHER’S LATE goal sealed victory for Anthony Daly’s Munster in this evening’s GAA Interprovincial hurling final at Semple Stadium, in front of 592 spectators.

Rising Clare star Shanagher was introduced as a sub ten minutes from time and he bagged a 59^th minute goal to clinch a 46^th competition win for the province.

Leinster, champions in 2014, were five points ahead on three occasions in the second half but Munster reeled them in to clinch a first crown since 2013.

Having drawn level at 1-14 apiece, when Clare’s David Reidy netted midway through the second half, Munster were rocked by the concession of a goal from Leinster’s next attack, Wexford’s Lee Chin on target as the sides traded goals within a minute.

Munster’s John O’Dwyer with Sean Ryan of Leinster.

Source: Donall Farmer/INPHO

But there was life left in Munster as they emptied the bench and Cork’s Alan Cadogan made a big impact in the second half – knifing three points from play – as Limerick’s Barry Nash chipped in with a brace.

Indeed, Munster hit 1-5 without reply in the closing minutes to run out deserved winners.

With the sides deadlocked late on, Waterford’s Stephen Bennett landed the lead score from five minutes from time before Shanagher’s goal sealed it.

Leinster were 1-11 to 0-10 clear at half-time, having fallen four points down in the early exchanges.

Reid was Leinster’s leading light in the opening half, hitting 1-2 of his 1-4 from play, as Kilkenny team-mate Walter Walsh and Laois man Charles Dwyer picked off two points each.

Seamus Callanan had two early points as Munster surged into a 0-4 to 0-0 advantage within seven minutes but Leinster, with Reid prominent, worked their way back into contention and were level at 0-6 apiece midway through the half.

A pair of Dan McCormack points gave Munster some breathing space again but a run of 1-3 without reply from Leinster, playing without suspended Colin Fennelly and concussed Ryan O’Dwyer, put them in the ascendancy.

Reid’s goal arrived five minutes before half-time as he cut in from the left touchline before firing in a shot that squirted beneath Darren Gleeson and into the Killinan End net.

Brendan Maher lifted the cup.

Source: Tommy Dickson/INPHO

Reid added a free and Leinster were four points clear – 1-10 to 0-9 – before Callanan (free) and Dwyer traded points before the break.

But Munster were unlucky not to raise a green flag of their own in the first half when Clare’s David Reidy scorched a shot off James Dempsey’s crossbar in the 13th minute, with Callanan on hand to pick up the pieces for a point.

Leinster opened the second half impressively but after being reeled in by Reidy’s 45th minute goal, Chin replied in kind for Leinster.

Munster had big contributions from the subs bench, however, and that proved crucial with the game in the melting pot late on.

Scorers for Munster: Seamus Callanan 0-7 (4f, 1 65), David Reidy 1-2, Aaron Shanagher 1-0, Alan Cadogan 0-3, Dan McCormack & Barry Nash 0-2 each, Diarmaid Byrnes, Jamie Barron, Michael Breen & Stephen Bennett 0-1 each.

Scorers for Leinster: TJ Reid 1-6 (0-4f), Lee Chin 1-1, Walter Walsh 0-4, Cha Dwyer & Gerry Keegan 0-2 each, Shane Dooley 0-1.

Munster

16. Darren Gleeson (Tipperary)

17. Barry Coughlan (Waterford)
3. James Barry (Tipperary)
4. Noel Connors (Waterford)

5. Diarmaid Byrnes (Limerick)
6. Cian Dillon (Clare)
19. Pádraic Maher (Tipperary)

8. Brendan Maher (Tipperary)
9. Jamie Barron (Waterford)

22. Dan McCormack (Tipperary)
20. Michael Breen (Tipperary)
25. Shane Bennett (Waterford)

13. John O’Dwyer (Tipperary)
14. Seamus Callanan (Tipperary)
21. David Reidy (Clare)

Subs:

12. Noel McGrath (Tipperary) for Shane Bennett (h.t.)
26. Alan Cadogan (Cork) for B Maher (h.t.)
24. Barry Nash (Limerick) for McCormack (h.t.)
27. Aaron Shanagher (Clare) for Breen (50)
10. Shane Dowling (Limerick) for O’Dwyer (50)
15. Stephen Bennett (Waterford) for Barron (51)
2. Shane Fives (Waterford) for Coughlan (55)
7. Tom Murnane (Kerry) for Dillon (55)
23. Cian Lynch (Limerick) for Callanan (60+1)

Leinster

16. James Dempsey (Offaly)

26. Matthew Whelan (Laois)
3. Tommy Doyle (Westmeath)
4. Liam Ryan (Wexford)

5. Pádraig Walsh (Kilkenny)
6. Kieran Joyce (Kilkenny)
7. Chris Crummey (Dublin)

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8. Conor Fogarty (Kilkenny)
9. Sean Ryan (Offaly)

10. Walter Walsh (Kilkenny)
11. Lee Chin (Wexford)
12. Charles Dwyer (Laois)

13. Shane Dooley (Offaly)
14. TJ Reid (Kilkenny)
22. Gerry Keegan (Kildare)

Subs:

21. Martin Kavanagh (Carlow) for Dooley (27)
25. Eoin Murphy (Kilkenny) for Keegan (h.t.)
22. Gerry Keegan for S Ryan (46)

Referee: Alan Kelly (Galway)

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