Leitrim make a big statement

There may have been very few spectators there to witness it but last Friday proved a red letter day for Leitrim football as the county's combined schools' team secured a first ever victory in the Mezzino Connacht PPS Senior A Championship and against St Jarlath's of Tuam no less!

 In their second year of the new experiment designed to expose Leitrim's underage footballers to a higher level of football, the County Schools team won their first ever Connacht Senior A title and against the most successful school in the history of Post Primary Schools football!

No longer a boarding school, St Jarlath's may be a long way removed from their 12 Hogan Cup titles and 49 Connacht victories but the symbolism of what Shane Ward's team achieved last Friday in the NUI Galway Connacht Air Dome cannot be understated as Leitrim were more than worthy of their six point victory.

This was no smash and grab raid - Leitrim knew they had the forwards to trouble any defence so they sensibly defended in numbers and with great ferocity and then broke with a speed that the Tuam school found difficult to cope with all afternoon.

With Colm McLoughlin outstanding in the middle of the park, backed up by the superb Eanna McNamara and Bailey McBride, Leitrim won the midfield battle and then made the most of it, scoring four points in as many minutes.

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Crucially, when Jarlath's made a surge in the second half to twice close within a point, Leitrim didn't fold or falter, instead reacting brilliantly and pushing forward to hit the Galway school on the break and securing a well deserved six point victory.

After a tough introduction to Senior A last year, lessons have obviously been learned - Leitrim were physically better prepared and actually looked the bigger and more physical side, bossing key battles for possession around the middle of the park.

With forwards like Jack Kelly and Daire McCabe causing problems and Joey McBrien landing three first half marks, it was Jarlath's who were chasing the game and while they made the Green & Gold sweat, Leitrim had more than enough resilience to see themselves across the line.

Seems almost churlish to pick one player on an exceptional day for Leitrim - Jack Kelly was deadly in attack, Jamie Plunkett made a huge impact off the bench, Luke Farrell, Eanna McNamara, Senan Bohan and Oran Foley impressive in defence, Bailey McBride, Gavin Gallagher, Daire McCabe got through huge work around the middle but for me, Colm McLoughlin stood out head and shoulders, giving Leitrim an invaluable platform in the middle of the field

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Jarlath’s started well but a vital block on Luke Dempsey’s shot after a Shay McGlinchey effort from distance hit the woodwork kept them scoreless and when Senan Bohan burst through at pace to score, it put Leitrim in front. Jarlath’s captain Cian Rafferty levelled six minutes in before Jack Kelly claimed a mark to score.

Rory Igoe tied the scores once more with an excellent point from play but as the Tuam school were wasting chances, Leitrim hit four points in a blistering four minute spell. Joey McBrien converted a mark before the kickout was turned over and Eanna McNamara charged through for a fine point.

Colm McLoughlin then intercepted the next kickout and a quick burst from St Clare’s CS’s Jack Kelly resulted in a fifth Leitrim point. The lead stretched to four 16 minutes in when Leitrim forced a turnover and Leitrim broke quickly for Jack Moolick to notch a fine point.

Jarlath’s, however, were starting to find their scoring range - Killian Joyce pointed after a strong Rafferty run and a harsh over-carrying call against a Leitrim defender resulted in a 21 minute point for Rory Igoe, quickly followed by a Joyce free to leave just a point between the teams.

Instead of folding, Leitrim reacted positively as Colm McLoughlin dodged past an opponent to score from distance. Then the Green & Gold exploited slack marking to find Joey McBrien for two successful marks either side of another Igoe free, leaving Leitrim three clear as the game went into added time at the end of the half.

But then disaster struck - another strong Rafferty run created an overlap, Rory Igoe danced past a defender or two but bad luck shone on Leitrim as Igoe’s shot took a hefty deflection from an attempted block, leaving Josh Sheridan completely wrong-footed as the ball spun into the net.

That left the sides level, Leitrim’s nine points to Jarlath’s 1-6 and it seemed as if Leitrim would pay the price as Luke Dempsey fired over a mark and then from play inside the first two minutes to put the Galway kingpins in front for the first time in the contest.

Eanna McNamara lifted his team as the Aughavas man charged through the centre and fizzed a blistering shot just over the Jarlath’s crossbar. Ross Mitchell replied before Daire McCabe picked himself up from a foul to point a free five minutes into the half.

Both teams missed chances but voracious Leitrim tackling resulted in full-back Luke Farrell firing over a well worked point on seven minutes to tie the scores before Letirim took a major step towards victory, Jarlath’s losing the ball before Colm McLoughlin launched a huge ball towards Jack Kelly.

Using his body as leverage, the Glencar Manorhamilton may have gotten away with a classic forward’s nudge but his finish was sublime, blasting to the net and suddenly Leitrim were three points up.

Jarlath’s Shay McGlinchey boomed a massive 50 yard effort over the bar in response but Leitrim seemed set for a comfortable victory when sub Jamie Plunkett took over on a superb run, twisting the Galway side’s defence inside and out before blasting the ball to the net for a five point lead.

Ian Costello swapped points with Senan Bohan, Colm McLoughlin again instrumental but Jarlath’s were demonstrating their own class as they hit three points on the trot in as many minutes to cut the gap back to two points - Dempsey, Joyce and McGlinchey were on target with the midfielder skimming a powerful shot just over the crossbar.

But as they had done all day, Leitrim responded - they went long to Kelly who worked the ball back to Bailey McBride for a fine point. Killian Joyce responded with less than five minutes left but from there to the finish, it was all Leitrim as they packed their defence before hitting long to an isolated Jack Kelly.

Kelly made a superb catch to fire over from play before tapping over three frees to secure a famous and historic Leitrim victory.

LEITRIM

Scorers: Jack Kelly 1-6, 1M, 3f; Joey McBrien 0-3, 3M; Senan Bohan & Eanna McNamara 0-2 each; Luke Farrell, Bailey McBride, Daire McCabe, Colm McLoughlin & Jack Moolick 0-1 each

Team: Josh Sheridan, Oran Foley, Luke Farrell, Niall Torsney, Karl Gethins, Eanna McNamara, Senan Bohan, Bailey McBride, Colm McLoughlin, Ronan Fox, Jack Kelly, Gavin Gallagher, Daire McCabe, Jack Moolick, Joey McBrien. Subs: Jamie Plunkett for McCabe (42); Darragh Boyle & Senan McGowan for Gethins & Moolick (47); Kyle Russell for Fox (51)

ST JARLATH’S TUAM

Scorers: R Igoe 1-3, 2f; K Joyce 0-4, 1f; L Dempsey 0-3, 1M; S McGlinchey 0-2; C Rafferty, I Costello & C Mitchell 0-1 each

Team: M Quinn, C Rafferty, D Mannion, S Rhattigan, B O’Malley, T Walsh Bacchus, J Blake Cleary, I Costello, S McGlinchey, R Igoe, R Mitchell, J Flynn, L Dempsey, K Joyce, C Mitchell. Subs: C Bodkin for Mannion (HT); E Dolan for Flynn 

Referee: John Gilmartin (Sligo)