Hurling manager Olcan a little happier but Leitrim will need more for Cavan Final

It’s tradition at this stage that Olcan Conway finds area that need work so it is almost reassuring that when the Leitrim hurling manager says he is a little happier with his team’s performance in Saturday’s Allianz NHL Division 3B semi-final, there is still a lot of work to be done for next weekend’s Final against Cavan.

Leitrim prevailed 2-16 to 1-12 against Longford in Shane McGettigan Park on Saturday to book their place in the Final but Olcan, true to nature, saw plenty of room for improvement for his side if they are to defeat Cavan and lift the Division 3B title next weekend.

“Very sticky third quarter, there is no point saying otherwise,” Olcan told the Observer, “Longford made a couple of changes, Casey came out to the middle of the field and he brought a different dimension to them, he won a lot of breaking balls. It’s one of those games were you’re six, seven up at halftime and you’re telling the lads all you have to do is win the second half and you’re there.

Hurlers do their part to keep Leitrim's League Final treble hopes alive

LEITRIM 2-16 LONGFORD 1-12

"We fully focused at halftime that it is zero-zero game and just go and win the second half but I suppose keeping the scoreboard ticking over in the second half was just as important. We probably took a few frees that dropped that bit short and a couple of chances where we could have helped the scoreboard a bit better in that third quarter.”

There were positives that had the Leitrim manager in good form: “The fourth quarter, we probably caught light again and we should have had at least two or three more goals and a few points on the board. Our fitness and everything else is good. You asked me at the start if I’m happy this week, I am a little happier but I have to look to next Saturday against Cavan and that’s what I have to start thinking about now.”

Cavan handed Leitrim their only defeat of this campaign and while Olcan acknowledges that his charges didn’t perform on the day in Kingspan Breffni Park, a lot of that was down to Cavan as well: “A lot of the lads will be disappointed with their performance against Cavan and I’d be disappointed with them if they weren’t disappointed. 

“They’ll have a point to prove but let’s not take away from the fact that Cavan were excellent that day, they were very good, moved the ball very well, took care of their passes, their short passing game and built it out of defence excellently - we were just not at the same level as them.

“If we don’t get up to the pitch of them and get up to the same intensity they got up to, we’ll find ourselves with a defeat again against them and that is what we have to work on this week.”

Leitrim are now in the Division 3B Final, one of their targets for the year - even if they went the long way about achieving it! “Our goals were set for going directly to the League Final and not having to come to Drumshanbo today to play Longford and large parts of that second half would give you grey hairs and certainly get the old ticker moving very well when things aren’t going well.

“I could have probably done with this weekend off for a bit of a rest but we’re in the League Final and that is where we wanted to be. We just took a different route and looking forward to playing Cavan.”

Hurling captain Martin Feeney wants Leitrim to finish the job off in League Final

Enda Moreton started only his second game since returning to the county hurling panel and Olcan was not surprised by the impact the Leitrim Gaels clubman has had: “Enda is only really back now six or seven weeks - Enda is one of them boys, he has been around the block, he is an ex-All-Star, he knows the craic. 

“He is still a very young man and he knows where to be and what to do and he is cool and calm under pressure. You can see that out there - there are some lads who are experienced out there, like Conor Beirne and Gavin O’Hagan and they know what to do and when to do it and you can’t buy that. It is brilliant to have that experience to call on when you need it and it is great to have Enda back.

“I love seeing Enda with a Leitrim jersey on him and a hurl in his hand, he is a good lad, he is playing well but he knows the lads - he was playing for Leitrim for six, seven years before I came on the scene, he knows the lads. 

“When the opportunity for Enda to come back came around, we certainly weren’t going to say no and the lads welcomed him back with open arms. He is training hard, working hard and that’s all you have to do to be in this squad - put the head down and keep making the effort.”

Saturday’s match also saw big impacts from James McNabola and Stephen Goldrick who both overcame serious injuries at the end of last year’s club football season that should have ruled them out of action for much longer than they have been: “James and Stephen had serious injuries, there was even doubts whether either of the two of them would be fit to participate this year.

Three might be the magic number

THE LAST POINT

“But they did come back and God, they worked very hard to be in a position to be togging out for Leitrim - the gyming, rehab and physio stuff that they did behind the scenes on their own and with us was huge and that is why they’re back, it is a testament to them as much as anybody that they got themselves back into a position they could tog out for us.

“McNabola maybe should have finished today with 3 or 2-1 but James & Stevie, they carry a huge threat which is what you want. James didn’t finish a few opportunities today but there is one sure thing about McNabola, he won’t keep missing them!”