The Ballinamore Area team have led the way in recent years with two victories in the event but Carrick-on-Shannon joined them on the small list of Leitrim Connacht champions last Saturday when they claimed the title with a series of performances that saw them over-whelm some of the biggest club areas in the province.

Drawn from the Leitrim Gaels and St. Mary's clubs, Carrick-on-Shannon Area travelled to Galway last Wednesday to take on Galway champions Salthill/Knocknacarra in the preliminary round and emerged with a stunning 3-9 to 0-3 victory in Salthill, a truly remarkable score-line.

That qualified them for last Saturday's Connacht Team Finals in Sligo where they would face Kiltoom from Roscommon in the Semi-Finals. And like any Leitrim v Roscommon clash, this was a hard fought affair with the Carrick team over-coming Kiltoom by 3-5 to 1-4 to qualify for the Final.

The Final would see them up against a Castlebar Area team who demolished the Sligo champions in their semi-final but this did not deter the Carrick squad as they won a famous 1-8 to 0-3 victory.

The victory qualifies Carrick-on-Shannon for the National Community Games Finals in Athlone IT from August 13-15, with the games themselves being held in Marist College Athlone. Carrick will face the Munster champions in the semi-final.

Also last Saturday, Mohill U-Girls reached the U-16 Basketball Final in Sligo where they were defeated by Oranmore Maree in a tough contest.

Carrick and Mohill teams were the only success for the County in Sligo with attention now turning to the National Finals in Athlone.

The Carrick-on-Shannon squad were: Sam Barnes, Oisin Bohan, Kevin Brady, Donal Casey, Mark Diffley, Tom Durkin, Matthew Earley, Eoghan Farrell, Cian Farry, Leo Fitzpatrick, Jack Flynn, Stephen Goldrick, Paul Keaney, Aisling Leahy, Jack Matthews, David O'Connell, Adam Reynolds, Shane Rynn, Paul Woods.