Impressive Leitrim hold off Claregalway to book Connacht PPS Senior A Semi-Final spot

Leitrim Schools’ history making run continued on Friday as the Green & Gold booked their place in the Mezzino Connacht PPS Senior A Championship Semi-Finals after they held off a stubborn challenge from Colaiste Bhaile Chlair at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence.

With two wins from two outings, Leitrim sit top of Group 1 with four points and with both Colaiste Bhaile Chlair and St Jarlath’s of Tuam due to meet in the final round, the Green & Gold cannot be caught at the top of the table as they have the head to head result on both Galway schools.

It completes a remarkable turnaround for Leitrim who were beaten by 19 points by Claregalway last January in their first campaign as a combined schools team - Shane Ward’s side must still face Westport’s Rice College in their final group game but they can now start looking forward to a Connacht Semi-Final.

The other group is a much tighter affair with St Gerald’s of Castlebar, Summerhill Sligo and St Colman’s Claremorris all on two points, although the Castlebar lads have a game in hand against Ballirobe next Wednesday December 18.

Leitrim’s victory was built on much the same foundations as their win over St Jarlath’s - Colm McLoughlin and Bailey McBride dominated the midfield battle for 80% of the contest, Eanna McNamara led a rock solid half-back line and Leitrim’s forwards always looked dangerous, even if they didn’t get the return of scores from play.

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In a curious conundrum, both of Leitrim’s goals came from their midfielders charging through the middle while the Green & Gold scored just two points from play, again scoring four points from marks that could have been more had they not played on in good positions.

Scores from play and scores from placed balls are all worth the same but it is was curious edge to the game, particularly with Leitrim benefitting from referee Dermot Lyons penalising Claregalway for off-the-ball fouls and dissent on quite a few occasions to make some scoring opportunities far easier.

This wasn’t quite the free flowing Jarlath’s encounter but Leitrim showed a steel and a resolve against a Claregalway side who were admittedly missing a few players and struggled to match Leitrim’s intensity until perhaps the final quarter of an absorbing and highly entertaining contest.

Jack Kelly was quickly on the scoresheet - for both teams with Claregalway’s number 13 hitting the target inside 20 seconds before Glencar Manor’s Kelly converted a free. Matthew Collins saw a free hit the woodwork, a square ball called after it broke to a teammate and Leitrim went two up after a Joey McBrien mark and a Jack Kelly free.

The Leitrim team who defeated Colaiste Bhaile Chlair to top Group 1 in the Mezzino Connacht PPS Senior A FC Picture: Willie Donnellan

Daniel Fitzmaurice was off-target for the Galway school but Leitrim took a major step towards victory when Bailey McBride nipped in to intercept a Claregalway pass. A quick one-two with Kelly saw the Glencar Manor midfielder surge through the gap to fire a good shot to the back of the net.

Claregalway were missing good chances with Luke Farrell getting a vital touch to deflect a dangerous ball away from the area, although with a bit of luck too as the ball hit the base of the post on its way out for a fifty. Claregalway went short and Matthew Collins fired over from play.

Leitrim were dominated as Jack Kelly converted a mark while Daire McCabe converted a free that moved in for dissent, Claregalway frustrated that their offences were being picked up and apparent fouls at the other end were not being spotted by referee Dermot Lyons.

That led to a yellow card for Ben Morley after Daniel Fitzmaurice scored a fine point on the run while Eanna McNamara went into the book for a heavy hit on a Claregalway player. Leitrim stretched their lead when Kelly converted yet another mark, their third of the half but Jack Cryan fisted over a point in response.

From the kickout, Claregalway forced a turnover with McNamara treading a fine line by bringing down his opponent. The Galway lads went quickly and Cian Heavey’s clever finish gave Josh Sheridan no chance in the Leitrim goal, leaving the halftime score at 1-6 to 1-4 at the break.

It was rough on a Leitrim side that had generally bossed the first half but they started the second half in the best possible fashion, a loose ball breaking and a hesitant Claregalway defence and a keeper coming off his line exploited by Colm McLoughlin who powered through to nick a goal inside the first minute.

Jack Moolick was unlucky to see a well struck fifty fielded on the Claregalway goalline but Leitrim went six up when Lough Allen College’s Gavin Gallagher booted over from distance seven minutes into the second half, Leitrim’s first score from play.

It was all looking good for Leitrim but they were given a major jolt when Matthew Collins sent a superb ball in towards Cian Heavey who brilliantly fielded in behind a defender and blasted to the net.

Crucially, Leitrim responded immediately with another Kelly mark, his third of the game, while sub Jamie Plunkett almost plundered a goal when he pounced on an errant pass from the Claregalway keeper only for the netminder to make amends with a good save.

Claregalway’s Jack Cryan fired over a fine point midway through the half but Jamie Plunkett, with just Leitrim’s second score from play after a great move involving Eanna McNamara and Senan Bohan and another from a free that that was originally a mark but was moved in for dissent.

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Matthew Collins was carrying the main threat for Claregalway and three points from the centre-forward, one a brilliant effort from the corner, cut the gap back to two points with just over seven minutes left on the clock.

Leitrim were now under fierce pressure but a swift counter-attack from Colm McLoughlin ended with the captain playing a one-two with Kelly for the final score of the game with just over three minutes of normal time remaining.

Claregalway, however, weren’t giving up - Sean O’Callaghan’s weak shot was easy for Josh Sheridan to deal with while Collins had an injury time opportunity to salvage a draw only for a block to deny the Galway school an unlikely draw.

LEITRIM

Scorers: Jack Kelly 0-5, 3M, 2f; Colm McLoughlin 1-1; Bailey McBride 1-0: Jamie Plunkett 0-2, 1f; Daire McCabe (f), Gavin Gallagher & Joey McBrien (M) 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 (38); Gearoid Curley for Fox (45); Jack Prior for McBrien (53)

COLAISTE BHAILE CHLAIR

Scorers: Cian Heavey 2-0; Matthew Collins 0-4, 1f; Jack Cryan 0-2; Jack Kelly & Daniel Fitzmaurice 0-1 each

Team: Jamie King, Conor Heraghty, Daniel Hughes, Killian Faherty, Eoin O’Toole, Olan Kelly, Ethan Forde, Ben Morley, Rory Glesson, Jack Cryan, Matthew Collins, Sean O’Callaghan, Jack Kelly, Cian Heavey, Daniel Fitzmaurice. Subs: Sean Moran & Niall Fahy for Kelly & Faherty (32); Mark Concannon & Ronan Duggan for Morley & Forde (43)

Referee: Dermot Lyons (Roscommon)