We never got going says Conway as Leitrim hurlers lost to Longford

Leitrim manager Olcan Conway remarked after Sunday's Lory Meagher Cup loss to Longford that his side “throughout the second half never really clicked” in Shane McGettigan Park.

“It is probably the easiest way to describe it,” reflected the Leitrim manager, “We really never got going. The same thing happened to us last weekend against Lancashire. You have give great credit to Longford to come out and sort us out – and to dog us for every ball and they won a lot of dirty balls and individual battles.

“They pushed on and we only got three points in the second half. It is impossible to win championship matches if you are only scoring three points in the second half. But you have got to give great credit to our players; they never gave up; they kept trying; they kept battling all the way to the end.

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“That's all I ask from our lads, to keep fighting, keep trying, take their opportunities when they come. Unfortunately today was the day when they didn't take their opportunities. But great credit has to go to Longford as well (for this).

“That's down to what they did as well. It was a very low scoring game. It was a battle out there for every single ball and possession. We knew that coming into (today's game). Unfortunately for us we came out the wrong side of it today.”

As for Leitrim’s chances of advancing in the Lory Meagher Cup, Olcan believes “it would take a lot of other freak results for us to come back into it. I don't even know if mathematically we can get back into it now. Our season is probably done now. 

“But we have got to be professional and finish out properly. That's the way the round robin series is. If you get two losses it is nearly next to impossible to get to the top two for the final. We will go and we will give it out best. We wish Longford all the best going forward.”

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On a personal level, the defeat stung for Olcan: “On a personal note I have never lost a championship game to Longford up to now. I know a few Longford lads who will take great pride in letting me know that my unbeaten record against them is gone.

“But it is not about me; it is about the players; they have such heart and determination even when things are not going so well for them.”