Leitrim stun Division 1 bound Tyrone with comeback for the ages

Tearing up the formbook and defying their respective League positions, Leitrim produced an epic comeback to stun favourites Tyrone in the opening round of this year’s TG4 LGFA All-Ireland Intermediate Championship before a disbelieving and overjoyed Pairc Sheain Ui Eslin in Ballinamore.

Tyrone, headed for Division 1 in 2025, looked worth every bit their League standing compared to a Leitrim team still mired in Division 4 as they raced into a 2-2 to no score lead inside the first six minutes, a start that had Leitrim fans fearing they were going to be in for a very long day.

But as they would throughout the entire game, Leitrim responded, reacted and drove at their vaunted opponents and were unlucky to be trailing by four points at the break having seen a goal disallowed and crashing a shot off the crossbar.

Tyrone again hit the home side for two goals early in the second half to nine points clear but Leitrim’s response was every more impressive, hitting two goals in as many minutes right after the Ulster team’s fifth and final goal, displaying a resilience and spirit that Tyrone were simply unable to cope with.

A ravenous Leitrim looked stronger and physically fitter and in Ailbhe Clancy and Muireann Devaney, they had two players leading the charge to victory with Clancy landing 2-5 and her Glencar Manorhamilton clubmate 1-1 while Michelle Guckian hit 1-5, scoring power that eventually overcome Tyrone’s challenge.

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The Ulster side were not without their star performers as Sorcha Gormley and Maria Canavan produced moments of sheer class but instead of imposing their will on this contest, it was Tyrone who wilted in the face of a ferocious and relentless Leitrim who ran their opponents into the ground.

The victory leaves Leitrim in a great position to top the group, a prize that has home advantage for the All-Ireland Quarter-Finals. Tyrone host Wicklow next Sunday with Jonny Garrity’s troops heading to Wicklow on Sunday June 15, for the final group game.

For Garrity, a proud Tyrone native, the victory must have been sweet as it was a stunning demonstration of the progress made under his leadership as the superb conditioning and mentality of this team was on full display, making their League semi-final defeat all the more mystifying.

Leitrim looked as if they were in for a chastening day when Tyrone hit 2-2 inside the first five minutes! Their opening goal was an intricate move featuring Zoe Loughran and Sorcha Gormley and finished by Aoife Horisk. Maria Canavan added a free before Gormley gathered in the corner, turned her marker and raced through to goal.

Canavan added a second point as it looked as if the visitors were about to blow Leitrim away but crucially, Leitrim’s first score was a goal, a foul on Sarah Reynolds allowing some quick thinking from Muireann Devaney, a quick free to an unmarked Laura O’Dowd who offloaded to Michelle Guckian for a close range goal.

Guckian and Gormley traded points before another quick Devaney free allowed Guckian to hit her second point on 12 minutes but then disaster struck Leitrim when Maria Canavan’s dropping long range shot appeared to catch keeper Michelle Monaghan in two minds, the ball bouncing off the St Francis player before hitting the post and ending up in the net.

Again Leitrim responded well with points from Laura O’Dowd and Ailbhe Clancy although Tyrone had reason to complain when Gormley was upended off the ball. Sarah Reynolds then got on the end of a brilliant move but saw her shot come crashing off the crossbar.

The Leitrim team who defeated Tyrone in the TG4 LGFA All-Ireland IFC on Sunday Picture: Willie Donnellan

Guckian and Clancy would both convert frees to cut the gap back to a goal but Tyrone were still proving dangerous, Gormley pointing after Michelle Monaghan did well to hold a low Horisk short. 

Leitrim had the ball in the net for a second time but it was rightly ruled out for a square ball after Clancy’s shot cannoned off the crossbar, the ball back across to the Glencar Manor woman who was in the square as Tyrone led 3-4 to 1-6 at the break.

The gap was cut to four when O’Dowd and Elise Bruen combined to free Guckian for a lovely curling effort but Gormley hit back for Tyrone before producing an exceptional piece of skill, catching a long Canavan delivery under pressure from two defenders before spinning, turning and blasting to the Leitrim net eight minutes into the second half.

Clancy hit back with a point but in Tyrone’s very next attack, Horisk’s strong run led to Zoe Loughran driving a powerful shot to the net as the Red Hand County now led by nine points!

Incredibly, that lead was down to just three within two minutes - first a powerful Laura O’Dowd run ended with Ailbhe Clancy tapping home easily before a long Clancy pass to clubmate Muireann Devaney saw the dual sports star beat two defenders and race in to blast home from close range after 42 minutes.

Clancy would convert two frees over the next seven minutes but Canavan came back with a free. Leitrim dramatically took the lead when a lobbed Clancy effort saw the Tyrone keeper distracted by an inrushing Aine Redican, the ball flying straight to the net with the Kiltubrid woman crashing into the post.

Leitrim were now a point up but Canavan scored a great point to tie the scores. Again, Leitrim responded with Devaney blasting a shot that probably should have ended under the bar rather than over it but it was still the lead for Leitrim.

With huge excitement, Tyrone drew level once more when Tyrone sub Emma Conroy fired over after a Canavan free hit the woodwork and it looked as if Leitrim’s cause had suffered a huge blow when Muireann Devaney was sin-binned with less than two minutes left.

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But the sides were back to 14 two minutes later, a somewhat harsh yellow card for Emma Jane Gervin and Leitrim regained the lead two minutes into added time when Guckian converted another free.

Tyrone did have a chance to tie the scores but, for the second time, Canavan’s free came off the woodwork and Leitrim managed to force a throw-ball won by Guckian to alleviate the danger. Tyrone kept pushing but Clare Owens intercepted to seal a famous Leitrim victory.

LEITRIM

Scorers: Ailbhe Clancy 2-5, 2f; Michelle Guckian 1-5, 3f; Muireann Devaney 1-1; Laura O’Dowd 0-1

Team: Michelle Monaghan, Eimear Quigley, Charlene Tyrell, Clare Owens, Sarah Reynolds, Kasey Bruen, Elise Bruen, Niamh Tighe, Michelle Guckian, Orla Flynn, Laura O’Dowd, Muireann Devaney, Ailbhe Clancy, Siomha Quinn, Aine Redican. Sub: Bronagh O’Rourke for Quinn (46)

TYRONE

Scorers: Sorcha Gormley 2-3; Maria Canavan 1-4, 1f; Zoe Loughran 1-0; Emma Conroy 0-1

Team: Caitlin Donnelly, Jayne Lyons, Joanne Barrett, Eimear Quinn, Meabh Mallon, Meabh Corrigan, Clara Daly, Aine Grimes, Aoibhinn McHugh, Emma Jane Gervin, Aoife Horisk, Elle McNamee, Maria Canavan, Zoe Loughran, Sorcha Gormley. Subs: Katie Rose Muldoon for Lyons (24); Sasha Byrne & Emma Conroy for Horisk & Loughran (46); Nicole Donaghy for Grimes (48); Orla Mulgrew for Mallon (54)

Referee: Gerard Canny (Mayo)