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22 Oct 2025

Laois clash a "must win" for Leitrim as only victory can keep Allianz NFL Division 4 promotion hopes alive

Laois clash a "must win" for Leitrim as only victory can keep Allianz NFL Division 4 promotion hopes alive

Flashback - Jack Heslin sees a shot saved by Laois keeper Colm Briody in the Allianz NFL Division 4 clash in February 2018 Picture: Willie Donnellan

Only victory can keep Leitrim's Allianz NFL Division 4 promotion hopes alive as table topping Laois visit  Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada next Sunday for the penultimate round of the League.

With Laois and Sligo locked on eight points in the Division 4 table and Leitrim two points behind them in fourth place, Andy Moran's side know that only a victory over the O'Moore County will keep the dream of promotion alive for the final round of games on Sunday March 26.

Victory over Laois would leave the door open for a late promotion push after the defeat against Wicklow in Aughrim, leading to a potential promotion showdown the following week against Sligo in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada but a draw or a loss would mean another year in Division 4 for the Green & Gold.

The last League meeting between the counties came in the second round of the 2018 campaign when Laois prevailed 3-16 to 3-10 in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada, a late Leitrim rally almost threatening to cause an upset in a game dominated by the midlanders.

Featuring on the Leitrim team that day, Keith Beirne was top scorer that day with eight points, four from frees, while Darragh Rooney scored 2-1 on the day with Ryan O’Rourke getting Leitrim’s other goal. Of the Leitrim team that saw action that day, just six of 21 players who saw action five years ago - Beirne, Rooney, Donal Wrynn, Aidan Flynn, James Rooney & Jack Heslin - have seen action for Leitrim in this year’s League.

Last Sunday, Leitrim hurlers saw their hopes of automatic place in the Allianz NHL Division 3B Final dashed in Kingspan Breffni Park when Cavan proved far too good for an off-colour Leitrim, the Breffni side winning out 0-21 to 2-11. The result means that Cavan have qualified for the Final with Leitrim and Longford, who face off next Saturday in Shane McGettigan Park in Drumshanbo, set to meet just a week later in the semi-final.

For the record, the Leitrim and Laois teams in action back in 2018 were:

LEITRIM

Scorers: Keith Beirne 0-8, 4f, Darragh Rooney 2-1, 1 pen; Ryan O'Rourke 1-0; Brendan Gallagher 0-1

Team: Diarmuid McKiernan; James Mitchell, Michael McWeeney, Matthew Murphy; Keith Keegan, Donal Wrynn, Oisin Madden; Dean McGovern, Colm Moreton; Conor Gaffney, Ryan O'Rourke, Brendan Gallagher; Aidan Flynn, Keith Beirne, James Rooney. Subs: Darragh Rooney for Moreton (HT), Eoin Ward for Flynn (45), Jack Heslin for Gallagher (49), Damian Moran & Noel Plunkett for Murphy & Wrynn (56), Killian McGloin for Gaffney (62)

LAOIS

Scorers: Gary Walsh 1-8, 6f; Eoin Lowry 1-1; Evan O’Carroll 0-3; Trevor Collins 1-0; Paul Kingston & Ross Munnelly 0-2 each

Team: Graham Brody; David Holland, Shane Nerney, Ruaidhri C Fennell; Trevor Collins, Colm Begley, Graham Brody; John O'Loughlin, Danny O'Reilly; Alan Farrell, Paul Kingston, Brian Glynn; Eoin Lowry, Gary Walsh, Evan O'Carroll. Subs: Niall Donoher for Glynn (HT), Ross Munnelly for Lowry (41), Aaron Dowling for Farrell (49), Kieran Lillis & Robbie Donoher for O’Reilly & Holland (54), Jamie Farrell for Begley (59)

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