Antrim blow Leitrim away in second half as missed chances haunt Green & Gold

In a refrain as old as gaelic football and oh so frustrating, Leitrim were left cursing their own inaccuracy as they missed three gilt edged goal chances in the first half of Sunday's Tailteann Cup clash in Corrigan Park before a resurgent Antrim turned on the afterburners to blow Leitrim away in the second half.

Missed goal chances cost Leitrim in Gaelic Park and it cost them dearly here as Barry McNulty, Keith Beirne and Darragh Rooney were all denied three-pointers in the first half of a tight and fiercely contested tie in the hills overlooking Belfast, goals that might have given Leitrim a cushion to withstand a ferocious second half surge from the home side that carried them to a deserved victory.

Antrim, who had three goal chances that they turned into just one point, led by two at the break but with the match tightly poised after Jack Heslin leapt high into the air to smash an Aidan Flynn cross into the Antrim net five minutes into the second half, few could have predicted the Leitrim collapse as Andy McEntee's side turned a one point lead into a match winning 12 point gap in just over 12 torrid minutes.

Leitrim never shy away from a battle says Moran

The rampaging Saffrons, who tortured Leitrim's defence all day with lung bursting runs from Marc Jordan, Patrick McBride and Patrick Finnegan, took control of the game when Ruairi McCann of Naomh Mhuire turned over the ball from Domhnaill Flynn some 40 yards from goal. Two or three passes later and the impressive Adan Loughran was firing a bullet to Leitrim net and with that the tone of the game changed completely.

Suddenly, Antrim were flying and Leitrim looked leaden footed - Loughran and captain Peter Healy quickly fired over points before Finnegan turned provider by floating a ball across for the full-forward Ruairi McCann (there were two on the field!) and suddenly, a game that hung in the balance six minutes earlier now saw a nine point gap.

Loughran put the exclamation point on a superb individual display after another lung bursting McBride run cut through the heart of the Leitrim defence and the Antrim centre-forward finished superbly from close range. Three Paul Keaney frees took the raw look off the scoreboard but the game was well over at that point as Leitrim were left stunned as the game turned from then in a matter of minutes.

Truth be told, Antrim were the better team and they showed real spirit for a team supposedly lacking in confidence, recovering from Barry McNulty's first goal just three minutes into the contest. They could have had goals themselves, Nevin O'Donnell making two superb saves to deny Loughlin and McCann but Leitrim were hanging in there, Darragh Rooney leading the charge with some powerful scores.

But the Saffrons grew in confidence as the game progressed and once the first goal went in, they simply cut loose and Leitrim had no answer, a fact that illustrated what those missed goal chances in the first half might have meant to the Green & Gold.

Pearce Dolan charges forward with the ball pursued by Antrim's Patrick McBride Picture: Willie Donnellan

The defeat might also come with additional damage as Keith Beirne, rumoured to be carrying an injury going into the game, was withdrawn from the action midway through the second half with an injury which, given the short turnaround before next Saturday's second round against Fermanagh in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada, is a worry Andy Moran and his management team could do without.

Leitrim got off to a perfect start and Antrim couldn’t say they weren’t warned as Barry McNulty saw a fisted effort from a long ball held by Antrim keeper Michael Byrne. But just three minutes in, a Keith Beirne shot that appeared to fall short was brilliantly palmed to the net by the Glencar Manorhamilton youngster.

Antrim also hit back with a goal of their own with Marc Jordan bursting through the Leitrim defence only to see Nevin O’Donnell make a superb save with Adam Loughran pointing from the follow-up.

Leitrim’s lead was back to a goal when Pearce Dolan eased by an Antrim defender who slipped on the greasy surface to fire over a point but Antrim soon got into their groove with points from Ruairi McCann (Naomh Mhuire), Conor Stewart and Ruairi McCann (Creggan) to tie the scores on 11 minutes.

Leitrim should have had a second goal when McNulty claimed another good mark and fired a quick ball to Keith Beirne in front of goal. Surrounded by the Antrim defence, the Mohill man worked the space to create a shot but keeper Byrne made a superb block and then he went up the field to convert a fifty to put Antrim in front a minute later.

McNulty had another effort held by Byrne before Mark Plunkett tied the scores. Dominic McEnhill edged Antrim back in front with a free but good work from Berine and Jack Heslin set up Darragh Rooney for a great point.

Antrim, who were launching the odd bomb at McCann at full-forward, thought they had a goal when the Naomh Mhuire man made a superb catch and turned to create space but O’Donnell made a superb reflex save, clearing the ball under pressure. 

Patrick McBride also had a shot half-blocked but the home side went back in front with another McEnhill free on 21 minutes. Aidan Flynn’s strong run created another score for Darragh Rooney but the St Jude’s clubman could only hold his head in disbelief when denied a goal seconds later.

The kickout after his point went straight over the sideline, a quick Leitrim attack got the ball into the former Melvin Gaels star who did everything right, sidestepping the keeper with the goal at his mercy only for Byrne to make a miraculous save to prevent a certain goal at the expense of a fifty that fell short.

McEnhill converted two frees before Keith Beirne scored what turned out to be his only score of the day, a brilliant effort from the right corner but Antrim corner-back Ronan Boyle hit back with an equally impressive 40 yard effort to leave the home side 0-10 to 1-5 ahead at the break.

Adam Loughran (in air and partially hidden) scores Antrim's third goal Picture: Willie Donnellan

Antrim continued to dominate in the early stages of the second half as points from Loughran and McEnhill pushed the lead out to four points but as Leitrim fans were starting to fret, Aidan Flynn broke free up along the right wing. The Leitrim Gaels clubman floated a lovely ball across the goal where a leaping Jack Heslin punched the ball to the net after just five minutes.

That left the game in the balance - Ruairi McCann (Naomh Mhuire) and James Rooney swapped points before Byrne (free) and Darragh Rooney from a tight angle did likewise.

But then the game turned - Leitrim broke up an Antrim attack and seemed poised to launch a counter-attack but Ruairi McCann (Naomh Mhuire) robbed Domhnaill Flynn of the ball and quick passes from Stewart and Patrick Finnegan set Loughran bearing down on goal and he unleashed a rocket to the Leitrim net.

Loughran and Peter Healy quickly added points as Andy Moran brought on Tom Prior & Oisin McLoughlin for James Rooney & Beirne but another Finnegan burst saw him float the ball across the face of the Leitrim goal for Ruairi McCann (Naomh Mhuire) to palm to the net and suddenly Leitrim were nine points down.

Sub Paul Keaney converted a free after a foul on Jack Heslin but Antrim put the game to bed with a McEnhill free and a second Loughran goal, his deft finish after McBride’s surging run on 63 minutes.

Jack Heslin and Paul Keaney (free & play) hit back with points before Antrim sub Patrick McCormick blasted over a point to complete their scoring five minutes into added time, Keaney adding a long range score from distance to end off the day.

Fast finishing Leitrim come up just short in Tuam

GALWAY 4-8 LEITRIM 1-13

ANTRIM

Scorers: Adam Loughran 2-3; Dominic McEnhill 0-6, 5f; Ruairi McCann 1-2; Michael Byrne 0-2, 1f, 1 45; Ronan Boyle, Peter Healy, Conor Stewart, Ruairi McCann & Patrick McCormack 0-1 each

Team: Michael Byrne; Ronan Boyle, Peter Healy, James McAuley; Paddy McBride, Joseph Finnegan, Dermott McAleese; Jack Dowling, Conor Stewart; Patrick Finnegan, Adam Loughran, Ruairi McCann; Marc Jordan, Ruairi McCann, Dominic McEnhill. Subs: Patrick McCormick  for McAuley (27), Cathal Hynds for Dowling (47), Pat Shivers for R McCann (Aghagallon, 66), Odhran Eastwood for Finnegan (66), Cormac McGettigan for Jordan (72)

LEITRIM

Scorers: Paul Keaney 0-4, 2f; Jack Heslin 1-1; Darragh Rooney 0-3; Barry McNulty 1-0; Pearce Dolan, James Rooney, Keith Beirne & Mark Plunkett 0-1 each

Team: Nevin O'Donnell; Paddy Maguire, Mark Diffley, Conor Farrell; James Rooney, Shane Quinn, Aiden Flynn; Pearce Dolan, Donal Wrynn; Darragh Rooney, Keith Beirne, Mark Plunkett; Jack Heslin, Barry McNulty, Domhnaill Flynn. Subs: Tom Prior for J Rooney (54), Oisin McLoughlin for Beirne (54), Paul Keaney for D Flynn (57), Cillian McGloin for Farrell (62), Stephen McLoughlin for Plunkett (70)

Referee: Barry Tiernan (Dublin)