Antrim outlast Leitrim in the wind to inflict second defeat on Green & Gold

Undefeated Antrim successfully saw off the challenge of a battling Leitrim side in Sunday's Lidl LGFA NFL Division 4 clash at a windswept Antrim GAA Centre of Excellence in Dunsilly near Antrim Town.

Leitrim, who recorded wins over Derry, Wicklow and Kilkenny, suffered a second defeat on Sunday after having lost their opening league game to Fermanagh in January. With two games remaining against Longford (home) and Sligo (away) Leitrim, who lie third on Division 4 league table with a 27 points scoring difference advantage over fourth placed Sligo, are still very much in the hunt for a league semi-final spot.

Victories over Longford and Sligo would assure Leitrim's semi-final spot but there is also a possibility that Leitrim could miss out on a semi-final spot were they not to record at least one win over their final two games. 

Reflecting on Sunday's game against Antrim, Leitrim will feel that they let a chance slip to hand the home side a first league defeat after having gained a one point interval advantage over the Saffrons after playing against the strong wind in the first half, then extending that lead to three points early in the second half.

However the concession of two second half goals ended the visitors hopes of a fourth league victory in a row. In their remaining two league games Leitrim certainly need to tighten up defensively to keep their league semi-final dream alive.

LEAGUES ON THE LINE

Leitrim opened brightly when Ailbhe Clancy split the Antrim posts in the first minute and after what was the visitors first foray into the home side's territory. After that Antrim, who had the advantage of a strong swirling breeze, more or less camped in the Leitrim half for the next 19 minutes.

Good Leitrim defending kept Antrim scoreless in the opening eight minutes of the action but the Saffron women did at last breach the Leitrim fortress on the nine minute mark when their livewire right corner forward, Bronagh Devlin levelled matters with a well taken point.

A minute later, Antrim was awarded a penalty which Bronagh Devlin converted to put her side in the driving seat for nearly the rest of the first half. Neither side managed to register a score for the next eight minutes when defences were on top at both ends while Antrim also hit quite a few of their seven first half wides in this period.

After playing second fiddle for much of the opening half, Leitrim enjoyed something of a purple patch in the closing ten minutes of the half as they seemed to have struck a decisive blow against the wind by finding the net just before the break.

A point from a Michelle Guckian free on the 20 minute mark after Muireann Devaney was fouled halved Antrim's lead. Eight minutes later, a Guckian pass allowed Devaney to split the Antrim uprights to cut the home side's advantage to the minimum. 

Antrim's Aine Lynch answered with a point at the other end within the space of another 90 seconds but Leitrim's challenge received a massive shot in the arm just before the half-time whistle when Ailbhe Clancy rifled a shot to the Antrim net to send the visitors in leading by 1-3 to 1-2 at the interval.

After the restart, Leitrim edged further ahead in the opening two minutes of the second half with Laura O'Dowd firing over after being put through by Muireann Devaney and shortly afterwards Michelle Guckian tapped over a free, to give the visitors a three point advantage for the first time in the game.

Leitrim  maintained their three point advantage by the 35 minute mark after Antrim's Maria O'Neill and Ailbhe Clancy traded points at opposite ends but two minutes later, Bronagh Devlin reduced Antrim's deficit with Leitrim when she fired over a well taken point for the Saffron women.

Shortly afterwards Antrim was awarded a 20 metres free which Devlin took quickly and squeezed her effort into the Leitrim net just inside the visitor's right-hand post. This score put Antrim back into the lead by the minimum and it certainly took the wind out of Leitrim's sails.

Sarah Reynolds battles an Antrim player for the ball last Sunday Picture: Elaine Kelly Photography

Antrim took a grip on the proceedings for the remainder of the game and forced Leitrim to play second fiddle. Devlin converted a 39th minute free to double Antrim's advantage while a Lara Dahunsi point six minutes later for the home-side put Leitrim under further pressure.

A minute later Bronagh Devlin tapped over an Antrim placed ball to give the home side a four point advantage. Over the next five minutes Leitrim upped their game and halved Antrim's lead when Michelle Guckian (free) and Muireann Devaney both split the uprights.

Antrim again surged and went further ahead when Bronagh Devlin finished a 56th minute move to the Leitrim net while shortly afterwards Lara Dahunsi fired over to put the home side into a six point lead.

Leitrim mounted a brave bid to pull the game out of the fire in the final minutes of the action but Antrim stood firm when the visitors failed to convert a late goal chance. Ailbhe Clancy and Leah Fox shot points  to close the scoring but Antrim maintained their undefeated five game league run intact with four points to spare.

ANTRIM

Scorers: B. Devlin 3-4, 1-3f; L. Dahunsi 0-2; A. Lynch & M. O'Neill 0-1 each

Team: A. Devlin; N. McIntosh, M. Blaney, M. Mulholland; S. O'Neill, C. Brown, D. Coleman; A. Mulholland, A. Lynch; A. Kelly, L. Dahunsi, T. Mellon; B. Devlin, M. O'Neill, B. Ní Cathaill. Subs: L. Agnew for Kelly (37); N. Jones for Ní Cathaill (39); C. McKenna for Mulholland (42); A. Monaghan Devlin (57); A. Turley for Coleman (58)

LEITRIM

Scorers: Ailbhe Clancy 1-3, 1f; Michelle Guckian 0-3, 3f; Muireann Devaney 0-2; Laura O'Dowd & Leah Fox 0-1 each

Team: Michelle Monaghan; Mollie Murphy, Charlene Tyrell, Jasmine Maye; Sarah Reynolds, Clare Owens, Lauren Devaney; Niamh Tighe, Chloe Dolan; Aoife Gilmartin, Michelle Guckian, Ailbhe Clancy; Siomha Quinn, Muireann Devaney, Laura O'Dowd. Subs: Dearbhaile Beirne for Quinn (44); Emma Guckian for O'Dowd (46); Anna Devaney for Dolan (48), Roisin McHugh for Gilmartin (51); Lauryn McKeon for L. Devaney (53); Leah Fox for M. Guckian (55); Shaylyn Ward for Quinn (56)

REFEREE: Ian Howley (Dublin)