By Frank Shouldice

Ulster were denied three consecutive interprovincial football titles at the end of a thrilling decider at Parnell Park on Saturday night. Played under floodlights before almost 6,000 supporters, it was a high-quality contest that might revive interest in what was formerly known as the Railway Cup.

Both sides started without first choice players, although with players returned from the International Rules disaster in Australia they found strength in depth.

Stephen O’Neill was a late withdrawal for Ulster while Dublin midfielder Ciaran Whelan was ruled out for Leinster with a back injury. However, Armagh’s Steven McDonnell and Derry’s Paddy Bradley gave an edge to Ulster’s attack and it took a masterclass in place kicking by Westmeath’s Dessie Dolan to keep Leinster in touch early on.

Mattie Forde then stepped up with two lovely scores so that Ulster trailed 0-7 to 0-11 at the break. Christy Toye impressed in a high scoring third quarter, but when Johnny Doyle replaced Ross Munnelly, the Kildare man turned the game in Leinster’s favor.

Toye grabbed a late equalizer to send the game into extra-time, and it fell to Dolan to kick four points of his 11-point tally to swing it decisively.

“Dessie was brilliant,” enthused winning captain Collie Moran. “Even at times when we were struggling, tonight he just kept on putting them over the bar. I think he was the real star of the show for us.”

Leinster boss Val Andrews took a lot of satisfaction from taking such a highly entertaining match.

“It was on a knife-edge,” he felt. “I thought our lads just kept going. We had a lot of chances to finish it off and we didn’t but I suppose we were hungrier.”