BREAKING: LEITRIM ARE ALL-IRELAND CHAMPIONS AFTER THRILLING CROKE PARK VICTORY

They’ve done it the hard way all year and they certainly did it that way on Sunday as Leitrm produced a superb display to lift the TG4 LGFA All-Ireland Intermediate title in Croke Park, holding off a ferocious late surge from Tyrone that threatened a draw.

After dramatic and close wins over Roscommon and Wexford this year, Leitrim left their best for the biggest day of all as they roared into a seven point lead midway through the second half only for Tyrone to drag themselves back into contention late on in an enthralling contest.

Jonny Garrity’s side showed enormous resolve to come back from two early Tyrone goals and they pushed ahead in the second half, Ailbhe Clancy capping a player of the match performance by driving home a penalty after clubmate Muireann Devaney was fouled.

It is Leitrim’s third All-Ireland triumph, having won the Junior title in 1988 and the Intermediate crown in 2007 as they were cheered on by a massive Leitrim support at GAA headquarters.

The game opened in a welter of excitement as both teams missed goals chances - Ailbhe Clancy shot wide after Tyrone keeper Amelia Coyne denied her in a move straight from the throw-in before Michelle Monaghan booted out a shot from Aoife Horisk. 

Michelle Monaghan makes a great save to deny Tyrone's Cailtin Campbell a goal Picture: Sportsfile

Tyrone had a few misses but Laura O’Dowd blasted wide with the goal at her mercy, Tyrone’s Maria Canavan opening the scoring with a brilliant long range point after four minutes. Both teams were struggling to settle with Tyrone the more wasteful with four missed chances to Leitrim’s two.

Leitrim opened their account in style when a long ball from Michelle Guckian was fielded by Muireann Devaney. The Glencar Manorhamilton woman quickly fed Laura O’Dowd who drilled a powerful shot straight over the head of Coyne in the Tyrone goal after 11 minutes.

Muireann Devaney opened her account with a great point from play, collecting a long delivery and scoring over her shoulder but Tyrone were level after 13 minutes when Aoibhinn McHugh’s strong run took her through the Leitrim defence, A pass found Aoife Horisk who did well to evade the Leitrim defenders and drill to the net.

Michelle Monaghan made a great save to deny Caitlin Campbell a goal when she was put clean through on goal in a real escape for the Green & Gold.

Tyrone were on top and added points from Chloe McCaffrey (free) and Horisk found the net for a second time when she drove a rebound from a Michelle Monaghan fisted clearance, Aine Grimes’ shot causing problems to put them five points clears.

Michelle Guckian fired over a free while Guckian was denied a goal by a good Coyne save. Ailbhe Clancy’s long range shot was spilled out by the keeper and from Michelle Guckian’s fifty, Clancy darted in from the side, gathered and turned to fire powerfully to the net.

Laura O’Dowd fired over a great point from the wing before Leitrim retook the lead when Guckian converted a 45 yard free with less than three minutes to go. And Ailbhe Clancy finished the half on a high when a great move from defence ended with Guckian and Devaney combining for a Clancy point to leave Leitrim 2-5 to 2-3 in front at the break.

Leitrim came out for the second half with huge focus as Michelle Guckian blasted over a 40 yard free, Ailbhe Clancy lost the ball but won it back before blasting over from distance and then Siomha Quinn and Muireann Devaney combined to set up Michelle Guckian for a great point from play.

That stretched Leitrim’s lead to five and Tyrone reacted by bringing on Sorcha Gormley and the teenager should have found the net after McCaffrey worked the opportunity but she blasted over with the goal at her mercy on 39 minutes.

Leitrim also brought Leah Fox off the bench as Tyrone keeper Coyne made a good catch from a Clancy free two minutes later. Aoife Horisk cut the gap back to a goal when another strong McCaffrey run created the opportunity.

However, Leitrim pushed the gap out to five again with two points inside a minute, Michelle Guckian floating one over from distance after a turnover and Clancy scoring from the resulting Tyrone kickout.

Tyrone hit back with a McCaffrey point but Leitrim took a significant step towards victory when Muireann Devaney got in behind the Tyrone defence but was dragged to the ground by full-back Joanne Barrett. The Tyrone player was yellow carded and Ailbhe Clancy drilled the ball past Coyne for Leitrim’s third goal.

Orla Farrel tracks Tyrone's Aoibhinn McLoughlin Picture: Sportsfile

Ella McNamee and Laura O’Dowd swapped points but Tyrone proved they weren’t going away when Aoibhinn McHugh drilled a rebound to the Tyrone net after the ball came canoeing off the woodwork.

Leitrim missed a few chances to extend their lead and the gap was back to three when Chloe McCaffrey scored a good point on the burst on 59 minutes. Tyrone reduced the Leitrim lead to two when good work from Gormley set up fellow sub Emma Conroy for a good point as Tyrone were restored to 115 players for the final four minutes.

Leitrim had a chance to extend the lead but Tyrone sub Emma Mulgrew made a huge block on a Leah Fox effort and Niamh Tighe shot into the side netting from the resulting fifty.

Tyrone cut the gap to the minimum when McCaffrey scored a free with 36 minutes gone and Tyrone had a great chance to tie the scores a minute later but McCaffrey shot wide, leaving Leitrim to celebrate a famous victory.

LEITRIM

Scorers: Ailbhe Clancy 2-3, 1 pen; Michelle Guckian 0-5, 4f; Laura O’Dowd 1-2; Muireann Devaney 0-1

Team: Michelle Monaghan; Eimear Quigley, Charlene Tyrrell, Clare Owens; Sarah Reynolds, Kasey Bruen, Elise Bruen; Niamh Tighe, Michelle Guckian, Orla Flynn, Laura O’Dowd, Muireann Devaney; Ailbhe Clancy, Siomha Quinn, Áine Redican. Subs: Leah Fox for Quinn (36); Bronagh O’Rourke for Guckian (52); Mollie Murphy for Quigley (64)

TYRONE

Scorers: Aoife Horisk 2-2; Chloe McCaffrey 0-3; Maria Canavan, Emma Conroy, Sorcha Gormley & Elle McNamee 0-1 each

Team: Amelia Coyle; Jayne Lyons, Joanne Barrett, Eimear Quinn; Clara Daly, Meabh Corrigan, Caitlin Campbell; Aoibhinn McHugh, Meabh Mallon; Áine Grimes, Aoife Horisk, Emma Jane Gervin; Chloe McCaffrey, Zoe Loughran, Maria Canavan. Subs: Sorcha Gormley for Loughran (34); Elle McNamee for Grimes (45); Grimes for McNamee (59); McNamee for Mallon (59); Emma Conroy for Gervin (60)

Referee: Barry Redmond (Wexford)