Wicklow power past Leitrim in second half as goal errors kill Green & Gold challenge

Leitrim’s journey in the Tailteann Cup came to a shuddering halt on Saturday evening in Glennon Brothers Pearse Park when a physically powerful and clinical Wicklow out scored them 1-11 to four points in the second half.

An unfortunate own goal in the first half kept Wicklow in touch with Leitrim during an absorbing first half before a misdirected Leitrim sideline ball that led directly to Wicklow’s second goal that finally saw the Garden County open up a bit of daylight on the ‘home side’ in Longford.

On a day where a strong breeze down the field from the McDonald’s end of the ground dictated much of this contest, Leitrim’s inability to make better use of the wind in the first half came back to haunt them as the running power of the outstanding Dean Healy was something Andy Moran’s men could never cope with.

The powerful running of Healy and his teammates straight up the centre of the Leitrim defence caused the Green & Gold problems they were never able to answer and by the end of this tense contest played before a surprisingly small crowd in Longford, there was no doubt Wicklow were worthy winners.

Yet there were still major regrets - both of Wicklow’s goals came off calamitous Leitrim errors and the first was significant as it came less than two minutes after the Green & Gold had seemingly grabbed control of the contest when Barry McNulty finished a blazing counter-attack with a brilliant goal.

LEITRIM NEED TO EMBRACE S&C AND HOLD ONTO YOUNG PLAYERS SAYS DEPARTING FOLEY

But when Wicklow turned over a Leitrim kickout, Dean Healy’s powerful run saw him break free. A pass found JP Nolan to the side of the goal, his lofted pass attempted to find Jack Kirwan on the far side but the ball took a wicked bounce off the back of Mark Diffley, ending up in the net.

Instead of a five point lead heading into the break, Leitrim led by three and that was never going to be enough, particularly as Wicklow hit four points in the first six minutes of the second half.

Leitrim were reeling and they were soon knocked out - Mark Jackson’s booming kickout flew over the sideline for a Leitrim kick but Cathal McHugh seemed to get blinded by the sun as he punted the ball straight to an unmarked Healy. The Wicklow talisman advanced and got the ball to Eoin Darcy who palmed the ball across the goal from Chris O’Brien to punch to the net.

With that, Leitrim’s three point halftime lead was now a six point deficit and Wicklow were given a huge injection of confidence. Points from O’Donnell (2) and Ryan O’Rourke kept the game at three points midway through the second half but Leitrim failed to score from the remainder of the contest, leaving Wicklow to pull away.

Mark Plunkett did have one chance but a diving block from Kirwan denied Leitrim the goal they desperately needed. There was still only a goal in it with five minutes of normal time left but increasing desperation saw Leitrim go for goals and Wicklow hit on the break to seal a famous victory.

Even with that, Wicklow needed four late points to seal their victory as Leitrim seemingly ran out of guile, lobbing the ball into the goal area where Wicklow men came up with the ball time and time again.

Leitrim opened the scoring 30 seconds in when a late hit on Barry McNulty allowed Darragh Rooney to pop over a free. Rooney would add a second free for a foul on Tom Prior while McNulty got on the scoresheet too from a placed ball as Wicklow hit three from play from Chris O’brien, Healy and JP Nolan.

O’Brien should have really buried his effort in the ent after good work Padraig O’Keane and Darragh Fee but after Kevin Quinn dropped a Wicklow free short, Leitrim countered at pace, working the ball the length of the field for Mark Plunkett to blast over from 40 yards.

Padraig O’Toole was penalised for over-carrying, McNulty converting before Mark Diffley saw a good effort come off the post following a block on an Aidan Flynn effort but Leitrim went six-three ahead when a foul on Jack Foley allowed Rooney notch his third free of the first 20 minutes.

The Leitrim team who were defeated by Wicklow in the Tailteann Cup Preliminary Quarter-Final Picture: Willie Donnellan

But Wicklow’s threat through the centre was always there, Nolan blasting over after another Healy run while a Leitrim kickout against the head almost saw O’Toole in for a goal, Nevin O’Donnell making a huge save to divert the shot out for a fifty missed by Jackson.

Leitrim were doing quite well off turnovers and when Wicklow lost the ball, a long delivery found Ryan O’Rourke on the dressing room side of the ground. A delicious pass into the centre found Barry McNulty stooping but still in full stride to gather the ball and he charged through to bury the ball in the net on 28 minutes.

Kevin Quinn put a Wicklo effort wide but after Wicklow regained possession, another Healy run saw him pop a pass to JP Nolan. He tried to get the ball to Jack Kirwan but the ball bounced off an unfortunate Diffley and into the net.

Leitrim with a fine Ryan O’Rourke score on another counter-attack while Wicklow’s Healy was yellow carded for a clash that saw Jack Foley having to go off as a blood sub with Shane Quinn coming on.

Leitrim led 1-7 to 1-4 at the break and after an early exchange of scores between Healy and McNulty, Wicklow hit a devastating spell with three points in two minutes from Kevin Quinn, one a free, the second after Jack Gilheaney was penalised for over-carrying and the third a huge hanging effort.

That tied the scores and Leitrim looked rattled, leading to a disastrous sideline from Cathal McHugh straight to Dean Healy. A strong run, pass to Eoin Darcy and Leitrim were now three down after 43 minutes.

Credit Leitrim for a fine response, Nevin O’Donnell thumping a massive 40 yarder over the bar but two Dean Healy points, both from distance and both through the centre, saw Leitrim sound the alarm bells as Riordan O’Rourke, Conor Reynolds and Arek Oberwan were deployed in a three minute spell, Darren Cox coming on five minutes later.

Ryan O’Rourke hit his second after good work from Riordan O’Rourke and Darragh Rooney but it was matched by a Jackson fifty and then came one of those key moments when Leitrim put together a great move but Wicklow sub Jonathan Carlin, introduced to restrict Barry McNulty, made a huge block to stop a Mark Plunkett piledriver, the only consolation being a converted Nevin O’Donnell fifty.

That came on 52 minutes and despite more than 22 more minutes of action, it was to be Leitrim’s last score, albeit Wicklow didn’t score either for another 12 minutes. 

Perhaps the biggest what if moment came when Dean Healy was shown a large dollop of leniency when he dragged Riordan O’Rourke high. Referee Kieran Eannetta from Tyrone seemed ready to book him for a second time but changed his mind after giving the Garden County start a stern lecture.

NOT THE BEST START BUT LEITRIM KEPT GOING SAYS AILBHE CLANCY

Leitrim started to snatch at chances - O’Donnell and Plunkett both left efforts short of the target while Ryan O’Rourke was blocked but Wicklow were missing even better chances until Jackson converted a fifty after 65 minutes and that seemed to release the tension Wicklow were playing under.

Sub Oisin McGraynor converted a free after he caught a massive long range Jackson free and was bearing down on goal. Padraig O’Toole finished off a swift counter-attacking move but that man Healy made a big block, Wicklow surged forward in added time and sub Gearoid Murphy finished the scoring with a good point.

LEITRIM

Scorers: Barry McNulty 1-3, 2f; Darragh Rooney 0-3, 3f; Ryan O’Rourke & Nevin O’Donnell 0-2 each; Mark Plunkett 0-1

Team: Nevin O'Donnell (0-02, 1 45); Cathal McHugh, Mark Diffley, Aidan Flynn; James Rooney, Radek Oberwan, Tom Prior; Donal Wrynn, Barry McNulty (1-3, 2f); Jack Foley, Mark Plunkett (0-01), Ryan O’Rourke (0-02); Ben Guckian, Darragh Rooney (0-04, 3f), Jack Flynn. Subs: Shane Quinn for J Foley (Blood 35); Foley for Quinn (blood HT); Riordan O’Rourke for Guckian (47), Conor Reynolds for Oberwan (48), Arek Oberwan for Clancy (50), Darren Cox for Prior (53), S Quinn for D. Wrynn (62)

WICKLOW

Scorers: JP Nolan 1-2; Dean Healy 0-4; Chris O’Brien 1-1; Kevin Quinn 0-3; Mark Jackson 0-2, 2f; Podge O’Toole, Gearoid Murphy & Oisin McGraynor 0-1 each

Team: Mark Jackson; Tom Moran, Malachy Stone, Paddy O’Keane; Matt Nolan, Eoin Murtagh, Podge O’Toole; Dean Healy, Craig Maguire; Darragh Fee, Eoin D’Arcy, Jack Kirwan; Chris O’Brien, Kevin Quinn , JP Nolan. Subs: Cillian McDonald for T. Moran (20), Jonny Carlin for Maguire (39), Oisin McGraynor for D’Arcy (60), Gavin Fogarty for O’Brien (64), Gearoid Murphy for Nolan (65)

Referee: Kieran Eannetta (Tyrone)