Leitrim must seize the moment against Tyrone in Croke Park

Weird to think it, let alone write it but Leitrim go into next Sunday's TG4 LGFA All Ireland Intermediate Final against Tyrone with enormous confidence that they can lift the Mary Quinn Cup once more in Croke Park.

What's weird about it is that Tyrone will play their League football in Division 1 next year while Jonny Garrity's troops languish in Division 4 but Leitrim go into Sunday's showpiece decider confident that they can prevail despite what look like insurmountable odds.

That's chiefly down to Leitrim's remarkable 4-12 to 5-8 victory over Tyrone in the opening game of this year's championship, a rip roaring game where Leitrim came back not once, but twice from eight and nine point deficits to record a victory that ranks probably as their best since 2007 when they last won the Intermediate championship.

What that victory has done is transform the expectations around the squad - beating a Tyrone team who will play Division 1 football next year opened up new horizons and Leitrim have certainly taken the opportunity.

Wicklow were dispatched in the next round, perhaps with a bit more struggle than they would have liked but the sight of Roscommon jerseys in the quarter-finals again inspired them to a 3-13 to 3-11 victory before that dramatic 3-8 to 2-10 semi-final win over Wexford.

PLAYING WITH LEITRIM IS SUCH A PRIVILEGE FOR CLARE OWENS

Garrity's troops have ridden their luck at times but that luck had tended to be earned by Leitrim whose ferocious workrate and energetic style has won them plenty of new admirers on their road to Croke Park.

Crucially, this Leitrim team appear to have taken another step forward in their evolution - they may only have 25 players in the squad and that includes the injured Vivienne Egan but in a weird way, that seems to have drawn them closer together as they exceed the sum of their parts almost through sheer force of will.

That force of will has been demonstrated most by the defence who has come under tremendous pressure in games but never buckled - Wexford found it almost impossible to get through their ranks where Elise Bruen and  Charlene Tyrell have been exceptional. Most of all Leitrim's mobility has stood out but that will be tested in the wide open spaces of Croke Park.

Upfront, Devaney, Guckian and Clancy pose a triple threat that few Senior teams possess and then you have the runs of Laura O'Dowd from deep and Leah Fox coming in off the bench to add to that scoring power as Leitrim have shown that they can win tight games and they can win  shootouts, it doesn't seem to matter.

Lest anyone think we're losing the run of ourselves, there are caveats to all this Leitrim optimism - Tyrone will be a different beast this Sunday in Croke Park and in Maria Canavan, Sorcha Gormley and Chloe McCaffrey, the Oak Leaf women have a potent forward line of their own.

McCaffrey saw no action in Ballinamore but hit five points against Down in the semi-final while Tyrone also featured four changes, including the goalkeeper from the game in Ballinamore. Sorcha Gormley didn't start the Down game, probably due to her involvement with her minor team's All-Ireland.

Also consider that Tyrone had played two rounds of club games just the weekend before the Leitrim match - were they over confident? Both teams suffered sin-bins that day but one of Leitrim's goals was a long range effort that ended up in the net as their keeper was distracted by Aine Redican but Tyrone also had a bit of luck for Maria Canavan's second goal.

Given that only one point separated the teams in Ballinamore, it is foolish to think that either team is a clear favourite next Sunday but it is impossible to think that Leitrim haven't improved significantly since that Ballinamore game.

NO SPLIT LOYALTIES FOR LEITRIM MANAGER GARRITY AHEAD OF TYRONE CLASH

One area where Leitrim had a significant advantage in that Ballinamore game was in running-power and strength & conditioning and while Garrity's side may have to temper their natural enthusiasm for lung bursting runs given their late fade out against Wexford, it is hard not to think that Croke Park will suit Leitrim's style.

Mentally, this Leitrim team is in a different place to many teams that came before them, teams that looked better equipped but they have found a way to win games when they need to.

Tyrone are talented with some quality players like Canavan and Gormley and they'll be motivated for revenge - they also have the experience of playing in Croke Park in a League Final earlier this year, a not insignificant factor. But Leitrim are just as motivated with just as much quality and given their performance,  it is hard to escape the feeling that  this is Leitrim's year!