Understrength Leitrim almost defy the odds but fall to late Galway blitz

The scoreline might not suggest it but Leitrim's understrength U20 footballers left Tuam Stadium in the darkness of a sodden Tuesday evening raging that they had missed a glorious chance to reach this year's Eirgrid Connacht U20 Championship Final as a late Galway goal blast broke their hearts.

With talisman Barry McNulty pulled from the panel hours before Tuesday's semi-final, an understrength Leitrim took the game to a highly rated Galway side and had the home fans shifting uncomfortably in theirs seats as the Green & Gold were threatening a huge shock against a Tribe team who had won the prestigious John Kerins U20 League just a few weeks ago.

Making Leitrim's performance all the more remarkable is that they were also without injured duo Conor Quinn and Danny McWeeney while captain and Senior team panelist Michael McKiernan only made a late fleeting appearance on Tuesday after suffering illness in the lead up to the semi-final.

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Leitrim lost Connacht Semi-Final 2-9 to 0-6 but trailed by just a point with over 11 minutes to go before Tribesmen land two late goals to give Tuam scoreline a flattering look

Delivering a masterclass in how to take on highly rated opposition in terrible conditions, Leitrim compressed the space in defence and kept the dangerous Galway forwards tied up in the knots in the first half as the home side had the benefit of the wind. Ferocious tackling, fierce determination and an unwavering intensity meant that while Galway created way more chances, they simply couldn't take them.

Trailing 0-6 to 0-2 at the break, Leitrim took the game to the Tribesmen in the second half - they may have ridden their luck with a wonder save from keeper Conor Flood as Galway were denied a goal three times in the one incident but they earned that luck and reeling off four points in the third quarter to close the gap back to just a point.

Momentum was all with the Green & Gold at this stage but the chance to draw level was spurned when Jack Casey dragged a 35 yard free wide of the near post as the Galway crowd heckled him loudly during his approach.

It will be one of those sliding doors moments for this Leitrim team as Galway went down the field a minute later with Radek Oberwan very lucky to avoid a black card for dragging down Galway's Matthew Thompson. Sean Birmingham converted the free and a nervous Galway struck for home, quickly adding another point.

The crucial score came with six minutes left - Galway sub Michael Monaghan seemed to pose little danger out on the wing as he took off on a solo run but breaking by the despairing challenge of a defender, the Moycullen clubman cut almost in along the endline before lashing a shot from a tight angle past Flood.

Gavin Reynolds get a touch to the ball at the throw-in Picture: Willie Donnellan

Suddenly, Leitrim were looking at a six point deficit and Galway's confidence was hugely lifted. Credit Leitrim, they kept battling and Oberwan launched a high ball into the Galway goalmouth that the home defence managed to deal with quite impressively and they proceeded to play keep ball for the final four minutes of added time.

There was one final cruel blow for Leitrim as Galway's keep ball eventually exposed gaps in a tiring Leitrim defence over four minutes past the hour, Matthew Thompson finishing with style after great work from Sam O'Neill and sub Daithi Kilcommons leaving a scoreline that did not reflect the game in any way.

Galway looked as if they meant business early on with Sean Birmingham curling a shot from the corner over the Leitrim bar after just 20 seconds. Cillian O Curraoin put a close range free wide a minute later and Charlie Power had a long range effort held by Conor Flood either side of a quick Paul Moran free that was intended for Gavin Reynolds but intercepted by an alert Galway defence.

Two excellent points from the dangerous Jake Slattery gave Galway a three point lead after ten minutes before Birmingham had a shot ruled wide that was disputed by Galway fans. Leitrim got of the mark on 12 minutes when a raiding Jamie McGrail was fouled and Paul Moran converted the free.

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Galway continued to dominate the game but Powers had a shot go inches wide while Leitrim's Jack Casey saw a snap shot brilliantly blocked. Sam O'Neill shot wide from long range before Conor Flood did well to punch out a shot from O Curraoin on 18 minutes.

The game then burst into life with four scores in three minutes - Jake Slattery finished off a patient move with a fine point on 20 minutes but seconds later, Brendan Guckian brilliantly sidestepped a defender to fire over from distance. Galway went straight down the field and might have goaled with O'Neill breaking through a few tackles only to see his shot crash off the crossbar before going over for a point.

O'Neill then added a long range point but three more wides from the Tribesmen meant that their halftime lead of 0-6 to 0-2 didn't look that impressive as Leitrim would have the wind at their backs in the second half. That wind was shown to good effect as Birmingham missed a free in the second minute and Leitrim started their fightback, the industrious McGrail breaking forward to fire over from distance.

However, Leitrim had a huge let-off five minutes in - Conor Flood produced an excellent close range save to deny Birmingham a certain goal, the ball broke to Patrick Egan who saw his effort blocked before Matthew Thompson cracked a third effort off the Leitrim crossbar, the ball eventually being cleared.

Despite a Ben Guckian wide, Leitrim closed the gap with a Paul Moran free after a foul on himself, maybe a little soft, but welcome nonetheless. O Curraoin replied with a free after a foul on Birmingham on his way through, Galway appealing for a penalty that may have been justified looking at pictures.

Radek Oberwan sees a long ball break behind him against Galway Picture: Willie Donnellan

Good work from Paul Moran and Ben Guckian created the space for Radek Oberwan to fire over from distance on 12 minutes and the sense that momentum was firmly in Leitrim's favour was back up two minutes later when Jack Casey found Paul Moran who fired over to leave just a point between the teams.

Leitrim had the chance to draw level from what was a very harsh free against a Galway defender but with the Galway crowd making a ruckus over Casey moving closer to goal to shoot the free, the ball went well wide and Galway sighed with relief. That relief was boosted just a minute later when Oberwan was very lucky to avoid a black card for hauling down Thompson after a ball over the top. Birmingham converting the free.

O Curraoin had a chance to extend the lead from a free out on the left but his free drifted off target. Unfortunately for Leitrim, Galway did brilliantly to keep the ball in place and when sub Maidhc Mac Gearailt cut in along the endline instead of playing the ball out wide, he was taken down by Mark Lenehan who was booked and Birmingham converted the free.

That left Leitrim a goal down with Guckian rolling the dice by introducing captain Michael McKiernan but before the Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins clubman could have any effect, Galway were celebrating when sub Michael Monaghan did superbly well to charge in from the wing and drive a shot to the Leitrim net.

That killed the game and although Leitrim kept fighting to the end, Galway put the icing on the cake with Thompson's goal to leave the Tribesmen a very flattered six point winners.

Meatloaf is wrong - two out of three IS bad!

THE LAST POINT

LEITRIM

Scorers: Paul Moran 0-3, 2f; Ben Guckian, Radek Oberwan & Jamie McGrail 0-1 each

Team: Conor Flood, Ryan Cunningham, Brian Donohoe, Mark Lenehan, Jamie McGrail, Daniel McLoughlin, Jack Foley, Daniel Bosquette, Gavin Reynolds, Emmet Regan, Ben Guckian, Kyle McCrann, Jack Casey, Radek Oberwan, Paul Moran. Subs: Jake Tobin for McLoughlin (28); Michael McKiernan for Regan (52); Tommy Taylor for Bosquette (59)

GALWAY

Scorers: Sean Birmingham (2f) & Jake Slattery 0-3 each; Matthew Thompson & Daithi Kilcommons 1-0 each; Sam O'Neill 0-2; Cillian O Curraoin 0-1, 1f

Team: James Egan, Luc O'Connor, Eanna Donohue, Colm Mac Donnacha, Bernard Coen, Brian Cogger, Jack Folan, Patrick Egan, Sam O'Neill, Matthew Thompson, Cillian O Curraoin, Fergal O Se; Charlie Power, Sean Birmingham, Jake Slattery. Subs: Michael Monaghan for Coen (HT); Maidhc Mac Gearailt for Power (48); Jack Lonergan for Folan (55); Jack McCabe & Daithi Kilcommons for O Curraoin & O Se (61)

Referee: John Gilmartin (Sligo)