Goal rush sees Leitrim past stubborn Longford

A Leitrim goal rush that yielded an incredible six goals in the second half of Sunday’s Lidl LGFA Division 4 final round clash in Glennon Brothers Pearse Park was enough for the Green & Gold to ease past a stubborn Longford.

The scoreline would suggest this was a cakewalk but the game was a lot closer than many would think, Leitrim turning a corner in the second half to kill off the home side with an incredible four goals in a four minute spell, putting the game beyond the reach of Longford.

The home side caused Leitrim plenty of problems in the first half, stubbornly sticking to the coattails of Jonny Garrity’s troops, refusing to buckle against a team that would finish second in the table, just a point behind Fermanagh.

As has been the case throughout this campaign, Leitrim’s frightening firepower proved the difference with Ailbhe Clancy, Michelle Guckian, Leah Fox and Vivienne Egan doing huge damage before we even talk about the returned Muireann Devaney as Leitrim go into the semi-finals in a confident frame of mind.

Garrity’s side will face Limerick in that semi-final in three weeks time, the Treaty women beating Carlow to third place thanks to the head to head clash between the teams with Fermanagh facing Carlow.

WILLIE DONNELLAN'S GALLERY OF FAN PHOTOS FROM LEITRIM V LONGFORD DOUBLE HEADER

It leaves Leitrim just one win away from promotion and a return to the League final and on this form, with the hunger, workrate and organisation they showed in dismantling the Longford threat, they will be very hard stopped.

Grace Shannon got Longford off to a bright start, pointing after just 20 seconds and after Leah Fox was blocked and Sarah Reynolds shot wide, the home side doubled their lead when Clodagh Lohan fired over on four minutes.

Vivienne Egan booted over from distance a minute later and the highly effective Ailbhe Clancy profited when Leitrim turned over the kickout. A good Sarah Reynolds run set up Egan for a second point while Clancy hit from distance as Leitrim appeared to be pulling away.

Leah Fox drove high over the bar when a goal briefly appeared seconds later but Longford started to haul themselves back into the game, Niamh Brady converting a free while Ciara Mulligan had a goal shot blocked when she was put through.

The Leitrim team who defeated Longford Picture: Willie Donnellan

Egan notched her third of the first half after a long ball to Fox came back out to the Annaduff woman but a point apiece from Kate and Grace Shannon, the second a long range shot bouncing over the bar, put a point between the teams on 17 minutes.

Longford tied the scores with a Lohan point but Leitrim responded well, Clancy from distance and Fox firing over but Lohan fisted over, her third of the game, and Kate Shannon profited for a turnover, a real goal chance but she lifted the ball too high, tying the scores once more.

The home side went back in front when Grace Shannon broke through a tackle to score but just as Green & Gold fans were beginning to worry, Laura O’Dowd and Leah Fox combined to set up Michelle Guckian for what was virtually a tap in, leaving the halftime score at 1-8 to 0-9 in Leitrim’s favour.

Leitrim had a goal chance but Aine Redican was denied by a good Riane McGrath save but Leitrim soon had their second goal when Michelle Guckian was fouled after being set up by Leah Fox. Clancy dispatched the ball to the net rather easily.

Leitrim’s next point came with a bit of controversy as the visitors were inexplicably awarded a fifty when a shot was clearly fired wide, Leitrim playing the fifty short to Guckian to score. Niamh Brady pulled back a point before another umpiring decision puzzled, a Leitrim player clearly blocking a Longford goal shot, the ball signalled wide.

From the kickout, instead of a Longford fifty, Leitrim worked the ball to Leah Fox for a fine point and despite a Kate Shannon free, Leitrim started to pull away with points from Clancy, Egan and Guckian.

Then the goal rush started - Guckian and Fox pounced in a matter of seconds, Fox after a poor Longford kickout. Vivienne Egan somehow managed to poke the ball to the net after a long run where she almost lost control of the ball, squeezing the ball home from a tight angle.

The Longford team who were defeated by Leitrim Picture: Willie Donnellan

Clancy would add two more points either side of Fox profiting from another poor Longford kickout for a sixth Leitrim goal. Sub Bronagh O’Rourke fired over a point with Sian Gallagher scoring for the demoralising hosts.

Guckian added a free before Laura O’Dowd lobbed the unfortunate Longford keeper for a seventh Leitrim goal with just over five minutes left. Niamh Brady and sub Muireann Devaney swapped points, Brady adding another before Longford put a bit of a gloss on the scoreline with two goals from sub Edel Sheehy before O’Rourke fired over to complete the scoring.

LEITRIM

Scorers: Michelle Guckian 2-4, 2f; Ailbhe Clancy 1-6, 1 pen; Leah Fox 2-3; Vivienne Egan 1-4; Laura O’Dowd 1-0; Bronagh O’Rourke 0-2; Muireann Devaney 0-1

Team: Michelle Monaghan, Edel Shanley, Charlene Tyrell, Eimhin Quinn, Sarah Reynolds, Kasey Bruen, Orla Flynn, Niamh Tighe, Megan McGovern, Vivienne Egan, Laura O’Dowd, Michelle Guckian, Ailbhe Clancy, Leah Fox, Aine Redican. Subs: Elise Bruen for Flynn (54); Orla Flynn for Shanley (HT); Lauryn McKeon & Aisling Quinn for Tighe & E Bruen (45); Bronagh O’Rourke & Muireann Devaney for Redican & Fox (48); Eabha Moyles & Siomha Quinn for Egan & Guckian (52); Clare Owens, Aoibh Treanor & Brigid O’Reilly for Guckian, Monaghan & Clancy (57)

LONGFORD

Scorers: Edel Sheedy 2-0; Niamh Brady 0-4, 3f; Clodagh Lohan, Grace Shannon & Kate Shannon (2f) 0-3 each; Sian Gallagher 0-1

Team: Riane McGrath, Orla Nevin, Ella O’Reilly, Grace Kenny, Katelyn McKeon, Leah Shannon, Caoimhe McCormack, Sian Gallagher, Shauna Hagan, Clodagh Lohan, Grace Shannon, Caoimhe Lohan, Ciara Mulligan, Niamh Brady, Kate Shannon. Subs: Femi Talabi for Mulligan (23); Joanne Whyte & Anna Moorehead for Kenny & Caoimhe Lohan (45); Maria Rehill, Kate McEntire & Aoife Cooney for Nevin, McGrath & McKeon (52); Siobhan Egan for G Shannon (60)

Referee: Kevin O’Donnell (Dublin)