Darren Mulvey looks back on the highs and lows of the 2024 Leitrim sporting year

Shannonside FM's Leitrim GAA correspondent Darren Mulvey casts his eye back over 2024 for his highs and lows of the sporting year in the Leitrim Observer Sports Review of the year.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR 

In an international sense it was definitely the Irish medal haul at the Olympics, the golds for Rhys McClenaghan, Kellie Harrington, Dan Wiffen and the rowers in particular. Mona McSharry's bronze was phenomenal and only mere hundredths of a second off silver and gold, it was such a tight race. In domestic terms, the Leitrim Ladies All Ireland win may end up being the highlight of this decade yet. A consummate performance ending in a richly deserved win. A late nod for the performance of a certain World Champion Luke Littler at the Ally Pally. He may have picked up the big prize in '25 but 10 tournament wins in his first year as a pro including the Premier League and Worlds is some going. A total prodigy and great to watch.

LOWLIGHT OF THE YEAR

Internationally,  hard not to view Rhasidat Adeleke's lack of a medal in the 400m individual as a disappointment, her enigmatic US coach Eldrick Floreal would have had every aspect of her training from a long way out tailored to getting on that podium. She will be chasing a medal at the Worlds in September and you get the feeling even though she's only 22, as a sprinter, anything less medal will be a serious letdown. The performance of the boxers at the Olympics was also a lowlight. The mismanagement continuing at Manchester United even under Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS hasn't made being a United fan any easier. Unfortunately it could be the guts of a decade before it's rectified and the increasing Saudi-ification of sports and sports washing in general continues unabated. Locally, appointment/non appointment of Mickey Graham as Leitrim Senior manager was a lowlight and an unexpected curveball for the Co Board to have to deal with late in the year.

PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR

I'll give it to the aforementioned Luke Littler, 17 and already top of the world in his sport. More power to him.

EVENT THAT MADE YOU GO WOW IN 2024

The Leitrim Senior Final Replay was brilliant in the final stages, Jordan Reynolds' acute point at the scoreboard end to tie the game, the howitzer of a mark from Paul Moran to tie it in ET, make for a cracking finish before the penalty shootout that saw Mohill make history for themselves. The two best teams without a shadow of a doubt. 

I could barely believe what I witnessed in the last four odd minutes of the Intermediate Final. Three goals scored by Melvin Gaels to overhaul an eight point deficit. Two finishes that will be remembered for a long time.

TEAM OF THE YEAR

Leitrim Ladies. No explanation needed.

HERO OF THE YEAR

I'll go for Leitrim Ladies captain Michelle Guckian, All Ireland winning captain, Player of the Year, Team of the Year meant the mantelpiece needed an extension this year but I'll give it to her, mainly for refusing to come down off the steps of the Hogan until her speech was finished despite the Croke Park bosses trying to play her off Oscars style with the music over the tannoy. Absolute hero behaviour in my book. 

ONE THING I’D DO TO MAKE SPORT BETTER IN 2025

Last year, I wrote here about the GAA bringing in 'rugby-esque' rules regarding interaction with referees to encourage more respect and less dissent. As it turns out Jim Gavin and co have done that and threw the kitchen sink at the rest of it too in terms of the new rules (or enhancements, as he calls them). Unfortunately I think given the dearth of rules there has been another few layers of pressure / expectation put on club referees now that the new dissent rules won't be able to mitigate. Games may be decided by legit two pointers not being awarded and tap over frees brought up 50m for perceived dissent. So in one way I got my wish from last year but in another I'll have to reserve judgement until the end of the year.

WHAT ARE THE BIG CHALLENGES FACING LEITRIM SPORT IN 2025?

GAA wise, I hope that 2025 is the year that there is a clear pathway / plan that Croke Park are going to help counties like Leitrim in terms of demographics and recommending structures that keeps clubs alive and with meaningful games going forward. I also think there's a challenge there for the winners of the '25 Club Championships to win a game or a couple of games in Connacht. I was disappointed that none of the Leitrim sides (with the exception of the superbly well coached Glencar Manor minors) managed to push on in Connacht this year. 

ONES TO WATCH IN 2025

Rhasidat Adeleke to medal at the World Athletics Championship in September; Leitrim Ladies to achieve that elusive promotion from Div 4 of the NFL; The Lions to whitewash Australia Down Under in '25; Oleksandr Usyk to defeat the winner of Dubious/Parker in February and unify the heavyweight boxing titles (likely in a huge event in Saudi Arabia sadly). Rory McIlroy, maybe, getting back to winning ways in a year that  has a "home" Open for him at Royal Portrush, a Ryder Cup at Bethpage, NY & another chance to win the Masters. Club championship games being played on brand new sod with new rules in the late summer sunshine in Páirc Seán (here's hoping)