Reigning champions Leinster relinquished their crown when they slumped to a four-point defeat against Connacht in miserable conditions at Birr yesterday.
Ollie Canning's crucial 42nd minute goal gave the all-Galway Connacht side a 1-11 to 1-5 lead and while Leinster staged a spirited rally, thanks mainly to ace marksman Johnny Dooley, it was not enough to deny Connacht victory.
The treacherous underfoot conditions were not conducive to quality hurling but both sides adjusted well to provide an entertaining contest for the paltry attendance of 350.
Backed by the strong wind, Connacht looked to be the more cohesive outfit in the early stages and they were four points up by the sixth minute. But they then lost their way for a spell and Leinster capitalised.
Poor defending saw Brian McEvoy thread a great pass to Martin Storey and the Wexford star lifted Michael Crimmins's net with a powerful shot. Henry Shefflin quickly added a point and when Dooley pointed a 13th minute free, Leinster went ahead for the first and only time, 1-2 to 0-4.
However their ascendancy was short-lived. Eugene Cloonan brought Connacht level, and on the quarter hour, Leinster net-minder James McGarry made a fine save to deny Ollie Fahy. Connacht then forged ahead and had built up a two-point lead (0-10 to 1-5) by half-time.
When Canning got inside his marker, Peter Barry, and drilled the sliotar to the net early in the second half it looked as if Connacht would saunter to victory. But Leinster fought back gamely. A 20-metre free by Dooley came flying back off the crossbar before points by Storey and four on the trot by Dooley reduced the gap to one (111 to 1-10) by the 52nd minute.
Leinster battled bravely to secure an equaliser, but Connacht finished strongest and sealed their passage to the final with points from Fahy, Cloonan and Broderick.
CONNACHT (All Galway): M Crimmins; L Hodgins, B Feeney, C Moore; P Walsh, N Larkin, P Hardiman; F Flynn (0-1), R Gantley; O Canning (1-2), J Rabbitte (0-1), A Kerins; K Broderick (0- 2), O Fahy (0-2), E Cloonan (0-6, four frees, one 65). Sub: M Kerins for F Flynn (39 min).
LEINSTER: J McGarry (Kilkenny); M Kavanagh (Kilkenny), K Kinahan (Offaly), W O'Connor (Kilkenny); N Rigney (Laois), L Dunne (Wexford), P Barry (Kilkenny); A Comerford (Kilkenny), D Byrne (Kilkenny); Johnny Dooley (Offaly) 0-7, M Storey (Wexford) 1-2, B McEvoy (Kilkenny); G Laffan (Wexford), J Troy (Offaly), H Shefflin (Kilkenny) 0-1. Subs: C Carter (Kilkenny) for Laffan (half-time); P Mulhare (Offaly) for Comerford (58 mins); R Quigley (Wexford) for McEvoy (59 mins).
Referee: Pat Moore (Waterford).
