Early Galway blitz blows Leitrim U20s away in difficult week for Green & Gold

A tough week for Leitrim football got even tougher on Wednesday evening in Cloone when a blistering start from Galway blew away the challenge of a highly rated Green & Gold U20 side in the opening round of the Dalata Connacht U20 Championship.

With the controversy over Leitrim’s concession of the Allianz NFL Division 3 clash with Fermanagh still heavy in the air, Green & Gold fans were desperately hoping for a good performance from Barry McWeeney’s side to lift the gloom but instead, the game was as good as gone after eight minutes.

The Tribesmen, obviously forewarned and forearmed over the potential of this Leitrim side, blitzed the home side right from the home, virtually winning every kickout as they put on an exhibition of long range kicking that landed them five two pointers on the night, a fact that contributed sizeably to their 0-15 to 1-2 halftime lead.

Leitrim had hoped that resting the six Senior players from last weekend would give them added impetus for this game but instead, it was Galway who looked sharp and lively as perhaps the pressure brought about by the controversy surrounding the Fermanagh game inhibited a young Leitrim side featuring three players just a year out of Minor.

Barry McWeeney’s team got something of a fillup when a dreadful Galway pass left their defence completely exposed 11 minutes into the first half, Jack Kelly finding the net but Galway rode out whatever storm Leitrim could muster with relative ease as they cruised to a comfortable victory.

POACHER STRESSES U20 PLAYERS DESERVE TO HAVE THEIR CHANCE

The Tribesmen got their goal right after halftime to undo any tactical switches Leitrim had worked out at the break and they really should have added two more right away, the impressive Eanna Monaghan missing what looked like two gilt-edged chances.

Looking back at this game, Leitrim will point to quite a few wides and shots that dropped short, efforts that might have made this a tighter and more competitive game but the suspicion was that Galway, All-Ireland Minor champions three years ago, had this game comfortably in hand from the off.

The ironic aspect of the game is that Galway, All-Ireland kingpins at Minor level in 2022, probably went into this contest with far less pressure than Leitrim did, the events of the past week adding unnecessary pressure to the Green & Gold.

The Leitrim team that was defeated by Galway in Cloone on Wednesday evening Picture: Willie Donnellan

Both teams started with poor shots on target, Ben Guckian left an ambitious long range effort well off target while Galway had a poor effort at the either end. Guckian then tried to play in Jack Kelly with a long ball over the top but keeper Kyle Gilmore was out quick to intercept.

Galway gave a foretaste of things to come on three minutes when a period of patient play ended with Sean O’Connor hoisting over a two point, right on the edge of the arc and the first of five first half two-pointers. Brian Cull did well to stop Jack Lonergan’s chip but play was brought back for a free converted by Colm Costello.

The visitors were winning every kickout, leading to Sean Dunne fisting over from close range and the same occurred when Mikey Mulryan became the fourth Galway scorer in the opening six minutes. It got much worse as the impressive Eanna Monaghan fired over from distance, right on the edge of the two but one given, after a kickout.

Monaghan didn’t have long to wait for his two pointer, immediately firing over from distance as Galway led eight points to no score after just eight minutes play. Paul Honeyman (free) and Dunne traded wides before Leitrim were granted a lifeline when an errant Galway pass left their defence exposed and Honeyman fed an unmarked Jack Kelly for an easy goal against the run of play.

Leitrim tried to capitalise on their stroke of fortune but had wasted efforts from Ruairi O’Rourke and Darren Cox, the Annaduff man’s pass too long for Dara Greenan and Galway replied with a two point Costello free, a careless Oscar Reynolds foul right on the edge of the arch.

The Galway team that defeated Leitrim in Cloone on Wednesday evening Picture: Willie Donnellan

Paul Honeyman put a fifty well wide while James Gilheaney’s two point shot was batted out by Gilmore right to Kelly but his effort was blocked out for a fifty that Honeyman drove wide. Leitrim did get their first point on 20 minutes when Ben Guckian penalised over-carrying with a successful free.

Leitrim continued to struggle in front of the posts, Honeyman leaving an effort short as Ciaran Mulhern became the sixth Galway forward to score when he got on the end of a good move on 23 minutes. 

Honeyman got off the mark when he collected a long ball, rounded his man and drove his shot over the bar, a goal possibly on but it was Galway who finished strongest with Monaghan and Dunne both landing wonderful two pointers to give the Tribesmen a 0-15 to 1-2 halftime lead.

Leitrim almost grabbed another somewhat fortunate goal barely 30 seconds into the second half when Gilmore’s fantastic effort to stop Ben Guckian’s two point attempt almost backfired as the ball rolled across the goalline before being cleared.

Unfortunately, a goal did arrive shortly at the other end - Ciaran Mulhern and Eanna Monaghan combined brilliantly for Colm Costello to blast the ball to the Letirim net. It should have been worse only for Monaghan to miss two goal chances in the next four minutes while Leitrim had snatches of chances when a long ball proved too high for Kelly to field.

Dara Greenan got Leitrim’s first score on five minutes, a nice point from a tight angle while Honeyman converted a free two minutes later after a foul on himself, Leitrim’s first time to put back to back scores together.

With Galway content to hold onto what they had, Costello added two more points over the next ten minutes before St Mary’s duo Guckian, with the Green & Gold’s first two pointer of the night, and sub Brian Keaney landed two excellent points within a minute on the 50 minute mark.

Both teams were missing chances, it just seemed as if Leitrim’s were more costly but Galway sub Ryan O’Donnell traded points with Ben Guckian. Costello then added two frees before O’Donnell added an injury time second to complete the Tribesmen scoring for the night. 

Leitrim had the last word when Ben Guckian got the Green & Gold’s first two pointer of the night to conclude the action.

LEITRIM

Scorers: Ben Guckian 0-6, 2f; Jack Kelly 1-0; Paul Honeyman 0-2, 1f; Dara Greenan & Brian Keaney 0-1 each

Team: Brian Cull, Oran Foley, Eanna McNamara, Oscar Reynolds, Jack Rowley, James Gilheaney, Bailey McBride, Jack Foley, Liam Chandler, Dara Greenan, Ben Guckian, Ruairi O’Rourke, Darren Cox, Paul Honeyman, Jack Kelly. Subs: Brian Keaney for Greenan (41); Dessie Wisely for Chandler (48); Naoise McManus for Rowley (50)

GALWAY

Scorers: Colm Costello 1-7, 5f; Eanna Monaghan 0-5; Sean Dunne 0-3; Sean O’Connor & Ryan O’Donnell 00-2 each; Ciaran Mulhern & Mikey Mulryan 0-1 each

Team: Kyle Gilmore, Padraic Godwin, Ryan Flaherty, Cian Dolan, Mark Mannion, Jack Lonergan, Vinnie Gill, Patrick Kearney, Cian Marks, Sean Dunne, Eanna Monaghan, Sean O’Connor, Ciaran Mulhern, Colm Costello, Mikey Mulryan. Subs: Ross Coen, Ciaran McDonagh & Ryan O’Donnell for Dunne, Marks & Mulryan (45); Senan Treacy for Lonergan (50); Harry Duffy for Dolan (57)

Referee: Ian Monaghan (Roscommon)