Leitrim Schools unable to get past impressive St Colman's in Connacht PPS Senior A Semi-Final

Leitrim’s adventure in the Mezzino Connacht PPS Senior A Championship came to an abrupt end on Wednesday evening at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence as an accomplished St Colman’s Claremorris grew into their task to dump an out of kilter Green & Gold out of the championship.

There was no disputing, even from the most diehard Leitrim supporters, that the Claremorris school were the better side on the night, performing near their best as they grew into the game, nullifying Leitrim’s early midfield dominance and laying the groundwork for victory in the third quarter when they landed an unanswered 1-3.

Equally, anyone who has witnessed this impressive Leitrim team in action know that they were just a tiny bit off their best, not quick as sharp in attack as they would have liked as perhaps the pressure of the occasion got to them somewhat the longer the game went on.

That Leitrim went toe to toe with the giants of Connacht Schools football in this campaign is not in doubt, victories over St Jarlath’s Tuam and Colaiste Baile Chlair seriously impressive but as a wary St Colman’s grew into this game, there only looked as if there was going to be one winner on the night.

Yet, it might have been different had Leitrim hit the net with their one great opportunity in the first half - the impressive Jack Moolick strode down the centre with the pitch opening in front of him but when he launched his shot, St Colman’s keeper Evan Campbell stuck out his hand to divert the ball over the crossbar.

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A goal at that point, ten minutes into the contest, would have been the boost that Leitrim needed, allowing them to relax and play their front-foot game but instead, it was the Mayo lads who visibly grew in confidence and at the end, they were good value for their victory.

You have to credit Colman’s for how they adapted throughout the game - after a ropey start, they took over in the midfield and in Darragh Beirne, Dara Flangan, Ronan Kelly, Sean O’Connell and Ciaran Treacy, they had an impressive backbone while they consistently stopped Leitrim in their tracks with the lost art of blocks.

Colman’s knew Jack Kelly would be a threat and while the Glencar Manorhamilton youngster got a lot of the ball, Colman’s ability to contain him and flood bodies back meant that Kelly was never truly able to find the space he needed to excel.

Jack Kelly opened with a wide but after a blistering 60 plus yard run from Colm McLoughlin out of defence, the ball found Gavin Gallagher for a fourth minute point. Kelly then saw a shot blocked out for a fifty but the fifty fell short and was cleared.

Darragh Beirne, after missing a free, then rode a tackle to score a great levelling point for Colman’s from the corner on ten minutes but Leitrim looked as if they were going to take control when Jack Moolick burst clear in the middle of the park with a retreating defence and oceans of space in front of him.

The Leitrim Schools team who were defeated by St Colman's Claremorris in the Mezzino Connacht PPS Senior A Semi-Final on Wednesday evening in Bekan Picture: Willie Donnellan

Moolick shot well but Colman’s keeper Evan Campbell was able to get his hand to the ball to divert it over the bar. Despite a wide from Daire McCabe, hopes were high that Leitrim were beginning to find their fast start with Colm McLoughlin finishing off a long run, riding a few tackles with a fine point.

But Colman’s were growing in confidence - Ronan Kelly scored a fine point on the run and despite three missed chances, a fine break saw David Hurley point on 17 minutes. Leitrim edged back in front, a long ball find Jack Kelly who manoeuvred well to find space to core but a Beirne free tied the scores.

Again Kelly punished a foul on himself with a fine point but Colman’s were definitely edging it as Jake Mullin and Ciaran Treacy both added points to put the Mayo school in front on the cusp of the break. However, a fine Ronan Fox point under pressure ensured it was level at six points apiece at the break.

Leitrim hopes would have been high as they have always started well after the break but instead, it was Colman’s who took a decisive grip on the game with 1-2 inside four minutes. Ciaran Treacy converted a mark before Darragh Beirne lofted over a free to open up their biggest lead of the game.

Beirne then proved decisive in defence, forcing a turnover before soloing clear - a fabulous long ball with the Leitrim defence out of position saw Sean O’Connell get in behind his man and despite a tight angle, the Mayo player finished brilliantly from the left to the far right hand corner of the Leitrim net.

A goal was always going to be a body blow and it didn’t help that two Kelly frees dropped short as Colman’s went six clear with another Beirne free on 41 minutes. Leitrim finally ended their barren spell when Eanna McNamara surged from defence, beating a few challenges to fire over a fine point on 45 minutes.

With the game’s rhythm being disrupted by substitutions, Colman’s went six clear again when Treacy scored after a long move. The Mayo school then attempted to take the sting out of the game but it didn't suit them, giving a battling Leitrim some momentum.

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Leitrim then had a mini-surge with Kelly converting a free before Daire McCabe hooked over a wonderful point under pressure with just over four minutes to go, cutting the gap back to four points. But straight from the kickout, sub Rio Mortimer did great work to set up Treacy for a wonder score.

Although Kelly did convert another free over two minutes into added time, St Colman’s repelled everything thrown against them and Darragh Beirne capped off a fine individual display with another free after 64 minutes to seal the Mayo school’s place in the Connacht Final against Sligo’s Summerhill College.

LEITRIM

Scorers: Jack Kelly 0-4, 3f; Gavin Gallagher, Jack Moolick, Colm McLoughlin, Ronan Fox, Eanna McNamara & Daire McCabe 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 McBrien (40); Daragh Boule for Gethins (43); Jack Prior for Gallagher (45); Gearoid Curley & Frankie McManus for Fox & Moolick (54)

ST COLMAN’S CLAREMORRIS

Scorers: Darragh Beirne 0-5, 4f; Ciaran Treacy 0-4, 1M; Sean O’Connell 1-0; Ronan Kelly, David Hurley & Jake Mullin 0-1 each

Team: Evan Campbell, Stefan Petkovic, David Hurley, Nathan Gill, Ben Sheridan, Mark Noonan, Dara Flanagan, Craig Cassidy, Ronan Kelly, Cathal Tierney, Jake Mullin, Dylan Burke, Sean O’Connell, Darragh Beirne, Ciaran Treacy. Subs: Tom Hession for Petkovic (37); Rio Mortimer for Sheridan (45); Jack Comer for Mullin (47); Adam Gallagher for O’Connell (58)

Referee: Dermot Lyons (Roscommon)