Goals do the trick again as Leitrim regain TG4 Connacht LGFA Intermediate crown

They say goals win games and that was certainly true in Kiltoom on Sunday as goals from Ailbhe Clancy, Michelle Guckian and Muireann Devaney saw a superb Leitrim regain the TG4 Connacht LGFA Intermediate crown after another typically ferocious battle with a stunned Roscommon.

After losing the Division 4 Semi-Final and Roscommon winning promotion to Division 2, the odds were heavily stacked against Leitrim but as they have traditionally done against their fierce rivals, Leitrim turned the formbook upside down and were more than worth this victory.

Leitrim’s ability to find the net was a key factor in this contest but perhaps more important was the manner in which the Green & Gold defence snuffed out the Roscommon attack, never giving them one shot on goal and that factor as much as anything else decided this contest.

Roscommon will wonder how they lost this contest, scoring 19 points led by an immense Aimee O’Connor who landed ten points herself, but the inability to punish Leitrim to a greater degree by finding the net was ultimately their achilles heel, Leitrim showing them how to do it with a precision and speed they couldn’t match.

Most of this was set up by Leitrim’s strong running from defence where the St Mary’s half-back line of Sarah Reynolds, Kasey and Elise Bruen were immense, restring the Roscommon attack before then breaking clear with Laura O’Dowd, voted Player of the Match, and Vivienne Egan made huge inroads.

JOB DONE AS LEITRIM EASE PAST STUBBORN WATERFORD

Egan, who had to go off with a badly injured knee ten minutes into the second half, was excellent in carrying the ball and with Aine Redican and O’Dowd dropping back, it meant that Jonny Garrity’s side were able to break at speed, catching Roscommon up the field with acres of space.

Kate Nolan got Roscommon off to a flying start with a point barely 30 seconds into the contest but Leitrim gave notice of their goal threat when Michelle Guckian drove a goal chance over the crossbar within a minute to tie the scores. After both sides hit wides, Siomha Quinn point came after a long Vivienne Egan delivery to Michelle Guckian, a goal again on for Leitrim.

Roscommon then started to take control as they reeled off five unanswered points in the next six minutes while also hitting a wide. Aisling Hanley hit two beauties, the second after Charlene Tyrell was penalised for baring while Aimee O’Connor (2) and Lauren Shanagher were on target as they feasted on the Leitrim kickout.

But Leitrim lifted the siege in spectacular fashion when the Kiltubrid connection came to the fore with Niamh Tighe, Michelle Guckian and Aine Redican combining to set up Ailbhe Clancy for a bullet shot to the roof of the Roscommon net on 13 minutes.

Two minutes later, after Clancy put a goal chance narrowly wide, Leitrim drew level with a Guckian free after a foul on Laura O’Dowd but it was Roscommon who continued to dominate only to hit four wides and drop one effort short before Ella Thompson pointed after yet another Leitrim kickout was turned over.

With Roscommon started to flex their muscles again, Leitrim struck at just the right time with Laura O’Dowd and Ailbhe Clancy breaking free of the Roscommon cover before flighting the ball across for Michelle Guckian to palm the ball to the net.

That left Leitrim two in front after just 22 minutes but Roscommon would respond impressively with three points on the spin from Judy McDermott, Hanley and O’Connor before a strong Elise Bruen run saw the St Mary’s player find Guckian for a tap over on 27 minutes.

Kate Nolan put Leitrim back in front but a Bruen intercept and a slick one-two with Ailbhe Clancy allowed Muireann Devaney fire over to send the teams in level at 2-5 to 0-11 at the break.

After absorbing so much Roscommon pressure in the first half, Leitrim came out strongly at the start of the second half with a Guckian free and quick offload allowing Devaney to point inside the first minute, Laura O’Dowd following up with a point after Michelle Guckian found Aine Redican in space.

Michelle Guckian is presented with the Gift of Life Cup

Aimee O’Connor pulled back a point from a free while the nearest Roscommon got to testing Michelle Monaghan was when the St Francis player batted out a dropping McDermott shot before O’Connor saw an effort blocked.

Leah Fox, doubtful due to injury and with a heavily strapped leg, was brought on to replace Siomha QUinn but another O’Connor free tied the scores on 37 minutes. What looked like a soft enough free for a foul on Leah Fox allowed Ailbhe Clancy edged Leitrim back in front and another foul on O’Dowd saw the Glencar Manor player on target again.

Leitrim went three clear when captain Michelle Guckian fired over after Fox’s initial effort was blocked but Roscommon refused to lie down with O’Connor scoring two wonderful efforts from play and one from a free in the space of two minutes to tie the scores again after 51 minutes.

But just as Roscommon were beginning to dream of glory, Niamh Tighe and Ailbhe Clancy combined to smuggle the ball through a congested area, releasing Muireann Devaney who broke through the last line of defence and the Glencar Manorhamilton player was never going to miss from there, drilling low to the bottom right hand corner.

GARRITY WANTS LEITRIM TO GET BACK ON TRACK AGAINST ROSCOMMON

Ailbhe Clancy then landed a monster point to put Leitrim four clear but sub Sinead Farrell hit back. As the game ticked into added time, Clancy converted another free after a foul on Fox but Roscommon kept trying with O’Connor bringing her tally to an incredible ten points, eight from play, with two great efforts.

However, it was not enough to catch Leitrim as a massed defence never allowed Roscommon any sniff of a goal, let alone a clear shot leaving Leitrim to celebrate regaining the Connacht crown.

LEITRIM

Scorers: Michelle Guckian (f) & Ailbhe Clancy (3f) 1-4 each; Muireann Devaney 1-2, Laura O’Dowd & Siomha Quinn 0-1 each

Team: Michelle Monaghan; Clare Owens, Charlene Tyrrell, Eimear Quigley; Sarah Reynolds, Kasey Bruen, Elise Bruen; Niamh Tighe, Michelle Guckian; Laura O’Dowd, Muireann Devaney, Áine Redican; Ailbhe Clancy, Vivienne Egan, Siomha Quinn. Subs: Leah Fox for Quinn (36), Orla Flynn for Egan (38), Bronagh  O’Rourke for Guckian (54)

ROSCOMMON

Scorers: Aimee O’Connor 0-10, 3f; Aisling Hanly 0-3; Kate Nolan 0-2, Judy McDermott, Ella Thompson, Lauren Shanagher & Sinead Farrell 0-1 each

Team: Helena Cummins; Aine McGrath, Ellen Irwin, Caoimhe Cregg; Judy McDermott, Saoirse Wynne, Niamh Feeney; Aisling Shanagher, Ella Thompson; Lauren Shanagher, Kate Nolan, Rachel Fitzmaurice; Aisling Hanley, Laura Fleming, Aimee O’Connor. Subs: Sinead Farrell for McDermott (38), Aoife Gavin for L Shanagher (54)

REFEREE: Shane Curley (Galway)