Leitrim's Brian & Dylan capture excitement and drama of All-Ireland U20 penalty shootout

They lifted the Cup together and certainly joint captains Brian Goldrick and Dylan McDermott were of the one mind when it came to discussing Saturday’s epic All-Ireland U20 C Championship victory for Leitrim hurlers, talking of the drama in extra-time and penalties.

Brian Goldrick said “The game was tough. It was hard after the first 60 minutes to have to go to extra time and then to have to go to penalties. It was tough for all the lads who had to take the penalties and fair play to the lads who did.”

“It was tough. There were 15 or 20 of us lined up in the middle of the field and there were five lads taking the penalties. Fair play to the lads, they put their hands up  - I was asked to take one but I couldn't. The body was tired and there was pressure. But fair play to the lads who stood up to take them.”

Goal scorer Dylan McDermott agreed saying “Penalties aren't easy to score. Really I don't know if games should go to penalties. They should probably go for a replay because it is not fair - luckily we came out on top. We scored two and they scored one. There was nothing in it. It feels great when you come out on top after a game that was so close.” 

Dylan agreed that his goal was a big turning point for Leitrim in the first half: “We had the wind in the first half. Monaghan were sticking with us for the whole half and the goal gave us a wee bit of a lift. Still they were sticking with us. They got back into it. Throughout the game there was nothing in it.

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“A one point lead in hurling is nothing. There were some very good scores taken out there, pressure scores from all over the pitch – it is hard to hold on to a one point lead.”

Chasing the game near the end, Leitrim had chances to put the game to bed but Brian talked of Leitrim’s resilience: “We had two or three chances to get points but that's credit to Monaghan, they pushed us out to wide angles out near the sideline and forced us to take silly shots that we shouldn't be taking. 

“We had to do it in the dying seconds but unfortunately we didn't score. But we got over the line at the end, thank God.”

Asked what it would mean for Leitrim hurling, Brian said “We had a panel of about 30 lads. Two of us were asked to be captains. We were proud to be up there lifting the Cup. It is great for all the young lads to look up to us and for them to push on for the future. It is great for Leitrim hurling.”