Donegal duo Ó Baoill and Thompson help Ulster to Interprovincial crown

Donegal's Daire Ó Baoill and Ciaran Thompson were part of the Ulster side who won out in the Allianz GAA Football Interprovincial Series final against Connacht on Saturday night at Croke Park.

In a free-flowing encounter, which road tested the Football Review Committee's suite of trial rules with referee David Coldick calling the shots, Tyrone goalkeeper Niall Morgan saved four Connacht penalties in the shoot-out. Morgan got the better of Matthew Tierney, Diarmuid Murtagh, Barry McNulty and finally Enda Smith, with Donie Smith hitting a post.

Connacht netminder Conor Gleeson saved from Rian O'Neill and Aidan Forker with Mark Bradley hitting the woodwork and Thompson putting Ulster's opening kick over the crossbar. Down's Odhran Murdock scored both of his penalties for Ulster, managed by Kieran Donnelly, with Enda Smith the only successful Connact player. 

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The strange finish shouldn't take away from the interesting and open game that preceded it, with Gaoth Dobhair's Ó Baoill and Thompson, from Naomh Conaill, in from the start. 

Tierney and Enda Smith scored Connacht goals - worth four points apiece - inside of five minutes, which meant a three-point, 2-6 to 0-11, half-time lead. Ulster started to motor thanks to man-of-the-match Rian O'Neill, who ended up with 0-8, and Darren McCurry's five points.

Ulster finally drew level early in the second half, 0-14 to 2-6, thanks to Aidan Forker's two-pointer but Connacht's Diarmuid Murtagh scored their third goal. Goals from Ulster's Ross McQuillan and Murdock - either side of Tierney's second goal - edged the northerners into a late two-point lead late on, only for Johhny Heaney to score a vital two-pointer with seconds left to force a draw. 

Scorers for Ulster: Rian O'Neill 0-8 (0-2-4), Darren McCurry 0-5 (0-2f), Odhran Murdock 1-0, Ross McQuillan 1-0, Niall Grimley 0-3, Aidan Forker 0-3 (0-1-1), Conn Kilpatrick 0-2, Kieran McGeary 0-1, Mark Bradley 0-1.
Scorers for Connacht: Matthew Tierney 2-1, Diarmuid Murtagh 1-2 (1-0-2), Enda Smith 1-1, Johnny Heaney 0-5 (0-2-1), Connor Gleeson 0-2 (0-1-0), Aidan O'Shea 0-1, Jack Carney 0-1, Donie Smith 0-1 (1f), Ciaran Murtagh 0-1

Ulster: Niall Morgan; Diarmuid Baker, Paddy Burns, Padraig Faulkner; Daniel Guinness, Aidan Forker, Eoin McEvoy; Niall Grimley, Conn Kilpatrick; Daire O Baoill, Rian O'Neill, Ciaran Thompson; Odhran Murdock, Oisin Conaty, Darren McCurry. Subs: Joe McElroy, Mark Bradley, Sean McNally, Oisin O'Neill, Niall Toner, Gerry Smith, Barry McBennett, Aidan Clarke, Eoin McElholm, Ross McQuillan, Pat Havern, Marc Jordan, Peter McGrane, Ronan McCaffrey, Kieran McGeary.
Connacht: Connor Gleeson; Johnny McGrath, Brian Stack, Sean Mulkerrin; Cillian McDaid, John Daly, Eoghan McLaughlin; Jack Carney, John Maher; Matthew Tierney, Barry McNulty, Enda Smith; Diarmuid Murtagh, Aidan O'Shea, Paul Towey. Subs: Darragh Rooney, Paul Towey, Shane Brosnan, Shay Rafter, Joey Grace, Bob Tuohy, Daire Cregg, Conor Carroll, Ruaidhri Fallon, Mark Diffley, Johnny Heaney, Shane Cunnane, Ultan Harney, Conor Cox, Donie Smith, Ciarain Murtagh, Diarmuid Duffy, Fergal Boland, Pat Spillane, Aidan McLoughlin.
Referee: David Coldrick (Meath).