Glencar Manorhamilton create history by reaching Connacht Minor Club Final

Glencar Manorhamilton created their own slice of history on Tuesday night when they became the first Leitrim team to qualify for a Connacht Minor Club Football Championship Final when they defeated Sligo’s Eastern Harps.

After beating Roscommon’s Castlerea St Kevins 2-20 to 2-2 last Friday at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence, Glencar Manorhamilton returned to Bekan and saw off the challenge of the Yeatsmen by eight points, a strong first half showing laying the foundation for victory.

Now in it’s tenth year, Glencar Manorhamilton are the first Leitrim club to qualify for a Connacht Minor Club Final although a number of teams have come very close with Rinn Gaels very unlucky in the 2023 Minor B grade.

The victory sees them qualify for the Connacht MFC A Club Final this Friday against Oranmore Maree at the Connacht Centre of Excellence (8pm throw-in) after the Galway side defeated Mayo’s Westport 1-10 to 0-7.

St Patrick’s Dromahair were narrowly defeated last Friday by Elphin Ballinameen (3-10 to 3-9) with the Roscommon side beating Sligo’s Enniscrone Kilglass 3-9 to 2-7 to qualify for the B Final.

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Glencar Manorhamilton got off to a quick start with points from Jack Kelly and Jack Attard in the first five minutes. Eastern Harps replied with a Noah Philips point eight minutes in but the Leitrim lads were clearly on top as they added further points from Ronan Fox, Senan & Jack Kelly.

Aaron Healy got Harps’ second of the game on 16 minutes but again, Glencar Manor responded with a point apiece from jack Kelly and Fox. Conor Dwyer got Harps’ third on 26 minutes but crucially, the Leitrim champions finished the half with a devastating scoring bursts.

Jack Kelly and Ronan Fox both added points either side of a goal from Senan Kelly as Glencar Manorhamilton went into the break with a commanding 1-9 to 0-3 halftime lead.

Jack Kelly opened the scoring in the second half but Eastern Harps were much more competitive in the second half, stringing five unanswered points over the next ten minutes to cut Glencar Manorhamilton’s lead back to five points.

The Sligo team landed points from Aaron & Ryan Healy and Ciaran Connolly but then their scoring burst dried up, six minutes before the next score when Jack Kelly fired over. That seemed to break the pressure and with Ryan Healy and Jack Kelly swapping points with ten minutes to go, time was as big an enemy for Harps as the scoreline.

Cillian Candon fired over Harps last point with more than six minutes left and Glencar Manor secured their Connacht Final appearance with three unanswered points in the closing stages, Jack Attard twice on target while Kelly also fired over.