Garrity & Guckian happy to get the job done in Wicklow

Leitrim manager Jonny Garrity and his captain Michelle Guckian were quite happy that the Green & Gold negotiated a potentially tricky tie in Roundwood to book top spot in the group and home advantage for the TG4 LGFA All-Ireland Intermediate Quarter Finals.

After Sunday's win over Wicklow Leitrim manager Jonny Garrity said “It was tough. We knew that Wicklow were lying in wait for us. They had to win the match. They set their stall out and they made it very difficult for us. To win the game and come out on top of the Group was the incentive for us. 

“After our great win against Tyrone it was a case of going out today and getting the job done. We knew it wouldn't be easy, probably playing a team that was fighting for their lives. They knew if they lost today that it would put them into a relegation situation. That came across in the game because they were fighting for every ball.”

Lessons were learned from the Tyrone tie with Leitrim not allowing goal chances against Wicklow while Garrity  praised his players'  retention of the ball: “We were well set up. We learned a few lessons from the Tyrone game about not conceding goals as did Wicklow  when they played Tyrone.

“Scores were hard to come by. We had to be composed and patient at times because they were really well set up. They wanted us to give them the ball back. It was a case of not doing that and for us to get the ball into the right places.”

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The Leitrim manager agreed that his side improved in the second half: “Ultimately I think we managed to do that a lot better in the second half than we did in the first. When you are doing that you are controlling the set up of the game. You have less to cover at the back when you are controlling the ball.

“These two things combined went well for us. We only conceded one point from play in the second half and we stayed in charge.”

Michelle Guckian admitted that Leitrim approached the game wary of the challenge posed by Wicklow: “It was a great day out for Leitrim. We knew it would be a tough game. Wicklow always puts it up to us whether it is here, Aughrim or Ballinamore.

“The league game was a different situation for us. But today Leitrim came out on the right side of it and I was happy out. Our defence today was very good as usual, exceptional. We just worked at it.”

The nature of the contest meant Leitrim were unable to build a rhythm: “We got on the end of it. It was a stop start game. There wasn't a great flow to it. It wasn't a game that we would like. We would like to play a good flowing game. We had Ailbhe, Laura and  Muireann kicking points and that's what we wanted.”

Leitrim’s tally of 17 points knocks the notion that the Green & Gold rely on goals: “We are not just a goal scoring team. We can kick points from range. That's a good sign that we are diverse. That's what we wanted. Wicklow parked the bus for a while and we had to work the ball around to get scores.

“We had a three point lead at halftime, but that's only one kick of a ball, especially in Ladies football. You know from previous games that goals win games in Ladies football. So it is just as important to keep goals out.

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“Our backs did well and our defence was good. Michelle Monaghan in goals was brilliant. I don't think that we ever felt that the game was well and truly ours. Wicklow was always posing a serious threat. But we knew if we could keep them from scoring goals that we would get there. 

“That was our main objective and we did that. But Wicklow was still a very dangerous team. They had very strong girls running through the middle. It is something we really have to look at in our defensive system and keep pushing on.”