Another heartbreaking one point defeat as Leitrim's Provincial B Final jinx continues

If this felt like history repeating itself, it is because it did as a slightly more clinical Sligo pipped a battling and understrength Leitrim to claim victory in the Electric Ireland Connacht Minor Shield Final in Ballinamore Pairc Sheain Ui Eslin on Friday evening, repeating their one point win from the opening round of the campaign.

Much like that game in Markievicz Park, Sligo were able to pip their neighbours by the narrowest of margins but this time, it was Leitrim who came with a late surge as two injury time points threatened to take the game to extra-time.

Without the suspended Jack Moolick and the injured Kyle Russell and Ruairi O’Rourke restricted to a sub’s role, the odds looked very much in Leitrim’s favour but with Cormac Moran delivering a superb display in the middle of the park, Leitrim established a serious foothold in this game.

Leitrim had opened up a two point lead early in the second half and in a game as tight as this, that gap was significant but a brilliant Matthew Walsh propelled the Yeatsmen into the lead. That goal proved crucial as Leitrim’s livewire Jack Kelly dragged a golden goal chance wide of the Sligo posts midway through the half.

Kelly was at the heart of everything good Leitrim did and Sligo struggling constantly to get any pressure on the Glencar Manorhamilton man but Sligo’s greater spread of scoring ensured that they would take the title, extending Leitrim’s run of misery in Provincial B Finals.

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Sligo looked to have secured a comfortable win when Aaron Healy (mark), sub Ben Cawley and Walsh thumped over vital points in the final 11 minutes of normal time but Leitrim’s late surge, thanks to two injury time Kelly frees, threatened to undo all their good work but time ran out on the Green & Gold.

The result means that Leitrim will now head into the inaugural All-Ireland Minor C Championship, a knockout competition where they will face London for a place in the preliminary quarter-finals.

Five teams from Leinster and two each from both Munster and Ulster will comprise the teams that compete in the new competition.

Sligo opened the scoring with a nice Niall Duffy point but incredibly the score came either side of Jack Kelly seeing good points attempts come back off the woodwork. Leitrim drew level when Conor Reynolds clever low ball into Kelly was worked back to Karl Gethins for a fourth minute point.

Both sides were missing chances, Duffy putting two frees wide before James Lavin and Kelly (free) swapped scores, the Glencar Manor man whipping a 45 yard effort over the bar from a free off the ground. Kelly then edged Leitrim in front when he finished off a lovely move on 13 minutes.

A Duffy free was quickly followed by a brilliant Scott Kerr save to deny Danny Woodrow a certain goal, the Leitrim Gaels clubman going down low to get a hand to a daisycutter. Aaron Healy then saw a monster 60 yard free come off the woodwork before Cian Nicholson added two points from play either side of a Kelly mark to edge Sligo in front.

It was now Leitrim’s turn to hit wides with three costly misses before Daire McCabe converted a free to leave the sides level at 0-5 apiece at the break. McCabe continued the second half where he left off by converting two frees inside the first four minutes to edge Leitrim into the lead.

But Sligo’s response was a killer goal, Matthew Walsh cutting in from the wing to deliver a brilliant finish to the Leitrim net after 27 minutes, Duffy following up with a point after an excellent Sligo counter-attack.

The Leitrim team who were defeated by Sligo in Ballinamore Picture: Willie Donnellan

Jack Kelly halted Sligo’s surge with a point after an lovely Conor Reynolds delivery and he quickly added another from a mark to tie the scores after 42 minutes but luck was to desert the Glencar Manorhamilton player as a 51 yard free drifted narrowly wide while another was claimed by a defender as it dropped into the area. 

More crucially, a block on a Noah Philips saw Leitrim counter-attack with Kelly left with just one defender to beat. The Leitrim top scorer twisted and turned his man but dragged his shot just wide of the far post.

Sligo took note of their close escape and started to take control, a mark from Aaron Healy opening a two point. Danny Woodrow broke the last line of the Leitrim defence but blasted wide from close range.

However, in the final two minutes of normal time, Sligo looked to have put the game to bed when sub Ben Cawley and Walsh both pounced for good points and a three point lead as the game entered three minutes of added time.

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The pressure went back on when sub Eoin Finnerty was black carded and Kelly converted a free after a foul on sub Ruairi O’Rourke. Kelly was unlucky with a long range snap shot but with time elapsed, Kelly punished an off-the-ball foul with another free.

Leitrim won the kickout and tried to work the ball to Kelly but Dante Currid flew in with a ferocious tackle that has many Leitrim fans calling for a free. The whistle did blow but referee Anthony Coyne awarded a free out and Sligo were able to celebrate their victory.

LEITRIM

Scorers: Jack Kelly 0-7, 2M, 3f; Daire McCabe 0-3, 3f; Karl Gethins 0-1

Team: Scott Kerr; Oran Foley, Luke Braam Farrell, Cillian McWeeney, Niall Torsney; Bailey McBride, Luke Fitzsimons, Gearoid Curley, Cormac Moran, Karl Gethins, Gavin Gallagher; Jack Prior, Daire McCabe, Jack Kelly, Conor Reynolds. Subs: Ruairi O’Rourke Prior (46); Joey McBrien for McCabe (52); Jamie Plunkett for Reynolds (57); James Hughes for Gethins (60))

SLIGO

Scorers: Matthew Walsh 1-1; Niall Duffy 0-3, 1f; Cian Nicholson 0-2; James Lavin, Aaron Healy (M) & Ben Cawley 0-1 each

Team: Gareth Cummins, Dante Currid, Noah Phillips, Conor Murray, James Lavin, Alexander Lillie, Danny Woodrow, Cian Nicholson, Patrick Brady, Conor McDonagh, Niall Duffy, Cathal Gilligan, Matthew Walsh, Aaron Healy, Conor Langan. Subs: Eoin Finnerty for Langan (44); Ben Cawley for McDonagh (47); Marc Clifford for Duffy (57)

Referee: Anthony Coyne (Galway)