Leitrim bid a sorry farewell to Allianz Division 3 campaign with Markievicz massacre

A turbulent and troubling week for Leitrim GAA came to a predictable if all too painfully familiar ending in Markievicz Park on Sunday when Sligo ran riot against an understrength Green & Gold in the final game of the Allianz NFL Division 3 campaign.

With nothing to play for bar pride and the reverbations of the decision to concede last week’s game to Fermanagh still fresh in the minds, any hope that Leitrim could salvage something from their meeting with their neighbours were soon dashed as a ruthless Sligo piled on the misery.

In a pattern familiar to those who have attended Leitrim’s League games this year, Leitrim actually started quite well, trading points with the Yeatsmen and holding their own against a Sligo team who needed at least a point to make sure of survival were Antrim to pull off their own miracle win against Kildare.

But, as it has so frequently in this campaign, Leitrim lost their way as the opposition turned on the power and produced a finishing that Leitrim simply couldn’t match. Instead of the goals that Laois and Antrim plundered, this time it was 11 unanswered points in as many minutes that reduced what had been a close game to a cakewalk.

For the diehard Leitrim fans present in Markievicz, this was a tough watch - Sligo kept pouring on the scores as the intensity of the encounter soon resembled that of a challenge game, a remarkable statistic that of the home side’s incredible tally of 32 points, just one two pointer and one free was scored over the painful 70 plus minutes.

THE LAST POINT: NO WINNERS IN AN IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION

This wasn’t Leitrim’s biggest defeat of the campaign - that dubious honour resides with the 23 point defeats inflicted by Laois and Kildare - but in some ways, this was even more painful as a Sligo side, who have traditionally had to work hard to get the better of the Green & Gold, cruised at their ease to one of their highest ever League tallies.

We won’t go over the reasons for Leitrim’s battering, we well familiar with them but the ever growing injury list was added to by Paul Honeyman, who picked up an injury against Galway in the U20 game last Wednesday, and Conor Quinn who left the game with his ankle in a boot, again exacerbating Leitrim’s scant playing resources.

After a week of four tough defeats for County sides, there were few things to raise a smile although the sight of Brian Cull, Ryan Bohan and Shane Finn making their Leitrim Senior debuts will still be a source of pride for the three players, even if the result will make it a bittersweet day.

For Leitrim, picking up the pieces and shifting through the wreckage of this League will be a gargantuan task, compounded by the fallout over the Fermanagh game and a barrage of criticism that has rained down on all involved. But all they can do is try and maybe give some reflection of the talent that is within the group and take some small steps towards rebuilding for the future.

Leitrim actually had the first two chances but both Ben Guckian and James Rooney left their long range efforts short and after a patient period of possession, Sligo opened the scoring with a fine Pat Spillane score after three minutes. Tom Prior replied, capping off a fine run with a nice point two minutes later.

The Leitrim team that was defeated by Sligo in Markievicz Park Picture: Willie Donnellan

Sligo edged two in front when Niall Murphy gathered a low ball and turned sharply to score before Spillane burst through for his second point. But at this stage, Letirim were holding their own although their chances took a blow when Conor Quinn was forced from the action with a badly injured ankle.

Tom Prior’s strong run and cut back saw the Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins clubman notch a second point before Leitrim won the ball back from the kickout and countered for Evan Harkin to pop the ball over the bar, again levelling the scores.

But by the time Leitrim got their next score, 23 minutes later, a rampant Sligo had moved 11 points clear as they squeezed the life from Leitrim. Cian Lally and David Quinn both had good scores but a fine Towey point set up the lively Murphy for a point after quarter of an hour.

Towey then cut through the middle for his own score, Alan McLoughlin fired over from the corner while Towey cut through the Leitrim defence, blasting the ball high over the bar when a goal was there for the taking.

Sligo’s dominance was reflected in their next point, Cian Lally firing over despite a jersey pull while a rare Leitrim attack saw Ben Guckian’s shot come off the post. Murphy added another before Leitrim started to create a few chance, Riordan O’Rourke shooting wide while Tom Prior had a shot saved by keeper Daniel Lyons after a strong run.

Cian Lally curled in a fine effort after half an hour before Murphy and Alan Reilly left the Yeatsmen 11 points clear after 31 minutes. Leitrim then staged something of a mini-revivial, Tom Prior hitting his third of the half after breaking through a challenge in added time.

Keith Keegan quickly added another after Leitrim turned over the kickout and then Ben Guckian converted a free after a foul on Jack Foley. However, the last word belonged to Sligo as Alan McLoughlin converted their first free of the game to leave them 0-15 to 0-6 ahead at the interval.

Any momentum Leitrim thought they had gained before halftime was wiped out by Sligo just after the break. Both teams made three changes with Ryan Bohan making his Leitrim debut while Cillian McGloin and Darren Cox also entered the fray.

Unfortunately the moves had little effort as Spillane, Paul Kilcoyne and Alan McLoughlin all fired over within the first five minutes. Riordan O’Rourke got a fine point after Darren Cox intercepted a Sligo lineball, the goal briefly on before a Sligo defender forced the Fenagh man into taking his point.

Alan Reilly responded before O’Rourke tapped over a free but Sligo then reeled off an incredible 11 unanswered points in an 11 minute spell to reduce the spectacle, if there was a spectacle, to nothing more than mere curiosity as the hum of fans talking among themselves started to be heard in Markievicz Park.

LEITRIM MANAGER LAUNCHES PASSIONATE DEFENCE AFTER PERFECT STORM OF CIRCUMSTANCES

Spillane (3), Murphy (2), Lally (2), Jack Lavin & Nathan Mullen all landed points while Patrick O’Connor earned the distinction of scoring the game’s only two pointer after 51 minutes. Riordan O’Rourke would add two more frees but Leitrim’s confidence was gone as routine frees and shots flew wide.

Sligo ended the torment with sub Shane Deignan tapping over two points to take their tally to a breathtaking 32 points from 31 scores for the day, a staggering scoring rate on another black day for Leitrim.

SLIGO

Scorers: Pat Spillane & Niall Murphy 0-6 each; Cian Lally 0-5; Alan McLoughlin 0-3, 1f; Luke Towey, Shane Deignan, Alan Reilly & Patrick O’Connor 0-2 each; Nathan Mullen, Paul Kilcoyne, David Quinn & Jack Lavin 0-1 each

Team: Daniel Lyons, Evan Lyons, Eddie McGuinness, Paul McNamara, Brian Cox, Nathan Mullen, Luke Towey, Paul Kilcoyne, Patrick O’Connor, Cian Lally, David Quinn, Alan Reilly, Alan McLoughlin, Niall Murphy, Pat Spillane. Subs: Aidan Devaney, Ross Doherty & Jack Lavin for Lyons, Quinn & Towey (HT);  Mikey Gordon for Alan Reilly (44); Shane Deignan for O’Connor (56)

LEITRIM

Scorers: Riordan O’Rourke 0-4, 3f; Tom Prior 0-3; Keith Keegan, Ben Guckian (f) and Evan Harkin 0-1 each

Team: Brian Cull, Eoin McLoughlin, Kieran Clancy, Eanna McNamara, James Rooney, Mark Diffley, Jack Flynn, Keith Keegan, Conor Quinn, Stephen McLoughlin, Evan Harkin, Sean Harkin, Riordan O’Rourke, Ben Guckian, Tom Prior. Subs: Jack Foley for Conor Quinn (10); Cillian McGloin, Ryan Bohan & Darren Cox for E. Harkin, McNamara & McLoughlin (HT); Shane Finn for Ben Guckian (52)

Referee: Alan Coyne (Westmeath)