Leitrim have to concentrate on own performance against Sligo warns Moran after euphoric Laois win

Smiles as broad as the Shannon, backs being slapped, autographs being signed - it is amazing the difference a win makes and  after a couple of difficult weeks, the smile on the face of Andy Moran spoke louder than any words ever could.

The contrast with the scene in Aughrim two weeks previously couldn’t have been greater and the Leitrim manager himself brought it up after Sunday’s dramatic 2-14 to 0-18 victory over Laois in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada.

“I talked to you down in Wicklow, talked to you down in Wexford where we weren’t best pleased. You knew them results were big results but this thing has a way of twisting,” reflected Andy, “The League has a way of throwing stuff so lets just concentrate on ourselves, do our own job and see what’s there at the end for us.

Defiant Leitrim keep Allianz NFL Division 4 hopes alive with dramatic Laois victory

LEITRIM 2-14 LAOIS 0-18

“What I love about Leitrim in general is ye keep fighting. We looked as if we were doing the same today as we did against Wicklow and the boys kept fighting, kept going and kept battling - Mark Plunkett and Keith Beirne to come up with those points was just magic.”

How Leitrim reacted to the Wicklow defeat must have been especially pleasing, particularly after the torrent of criticism from supporters? “I have to get myself right first of all, there is no point in me, if I don’t believe it in me, going into a dressing room saying you have to do this, this and this.”

Interestingly Moran took a different approach after the Wicklow defeat, concentrating instead on what Leitrim do well: “It was funny because  you always watch the opposition and I was getting more and more depressed every time I watched the opposition.

“So for the last three or four days, I just watched Leitrim and the message was we are playing well for 40-50 minutes, we just need to spread it out. We need to go for 70, 75 minutes. Ye saw it in Wicklow, I thought we were really comfortable and then all of a sudden, we just stopped. 

“So today, at least when that little purple patch came for Laois, we responded, we went again. Pearce Dolan wins a big ball out the middle of the field for us, Mark Plunkett does really well and all the subs made a huge difference. We went down to 14 men, the boys were brilliant.”

If anything, Sunday’s result proves to Andy that the talent in there in Leitrim and success will come, no matter how long it takes: “If we are looking for short term gain here lads, it is not going to go the way we want it to go. You see Shane Quinn, last year he couldn’t get a kick of the ball for us and all of a sudden, he is nearly one of our best players for us. Superb there again today - he  believed in the process, stuck around, fought hard, had a great winter and came back a different animal.

“If it happens in two, if it happens in three, if it happens in four year, you have to do the natural element of it. It mightn’t happen in my time but if the Leitrim people believe in it, believe in the players, I think it will happen eventually with or without me.”

Leitrim fans celebrate vital victory over Laois in the rain - GALLERY

Leitrim fans wildly celebrated in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada as two injury time points from Mark Plunkett and Keith Beirne kept the Green & Gold's Allianz NFL Division 4 promotion hopes alive thanks to a 2-14 to 0-18 victory over Laois on Sunday. Observer photographer Willie Donnellan captured some great photos of the fans celebrating and during the match ..... see who you can spot!

Leitrim fans wildly celebrated in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada as two injury time points from Mark Plunkett and Keith Beirne kept the Green & Gold's Allianz NFL Division 4 promotion hopes alive thanks to a 2-14 to 0-18 victory over Laois on Sunday. Observer photographer Willie Donnellan captured some great photos of the fans celebrating and during the match ..... see who you can spot!

Injuries, strength in depth and recovery is becoming ever more important with games coming thick and fast: “I would have an issue generally with the schedule - it is one thing if you are a Division 1 team and you have 30 players but we just can’t keep pushing fellows out every week.

“They’re doing hamstrings, groins, there are fellas really, really hanging on and I think it very tough. We just have to concentrate on ourselves, the physios have a huge job this week,  we're back training on Wednesday. Luke Bree, who is the coach here, has a huge job to get that right but Division 4 is brilliant.”

Reflecting on the game, Andy felt the changes made to the starting line-up and the impact off the bench made a big difference: “Goals win games, its so simple. We got to 20 points today because of the two goals. Pearce Dolan’s goal is just ridiculous and how well did Evan Sweeney do for the first goal? 

“Evan was playing really well -  we went a different route with Tom against Carlow, we went a different route with Mark Plunkett two weeks ago against Wicklow and Evan again, just that little bit of experience around the group, bided his time and had an absolute superb first half. You have Donie Flynn coming in there and did a remarkable job, he didn’t know he was starting until Friday night.

“Even the subs who came in, they were just excellent. James Rooney had a brilliant game there when he came on in the second, Barry McNulty is just a joy to watch. Young Prior, Conor Farrell and Jack Heslin made a massive difference when they came on.”

It sets up yet another crucial meeting  with Sligo: “You couldn’t write, especially after what happened last year. The first time I met Enda Stenson and Declan Bohan together, they kind of said to me ‘just have us in contention for the last round of the league’ and we’re there, we’re in contention. 

“There is no point in being in contention, I’ve been in many an All-Ireland Final where we didn’t finish it. It is time to go now - I don’t think we’ve beaten Sligo in a competitive game since 2011 so this is a huge game for both Sligo and Leitrim. Hopefully next week, we show the same grit, the same determination to go for it.”

Moran doesn't know when Ryan O’Rourke will be back for Leitrim

And the boost from winning a tight game against Laois could prove vital: “That is absolutely key - I think we went four points up against Sligo in the Tailteann Cup last year and we let them back, they got that goal. Just before David Bruen tried to slip one to Donie Flynn and they got a point out of it to bring them back into it. Just to have that bit of experience of being in a dirty, gritty, horrible type of game and come out the right side of it, that’s massive.”

Finally, Andy had generous words of praise to the Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada committee for their work in ensuring the venue was playable last Sunday: “The guys here in Pairc Sean, the groundsmen - this pitch on Wednesday and Thursday did not look as if it was going to go ahead and the work they’ve done here is absolutely amazing and if it wasn’t here, who knows?”