Brilliant Leitrim win first ever Connacht Minor Shield title

After a traumatic run of games at Senior, U20 and Minor level, Leitrim’s U17 footballers gave the county some reason to cheer when they won the Electric Ireland Connacht MFC Shield title for the first time ever after a dramatic and at times strange Final in Kilcoyne Park Tubbercurry on Friday night.

What was strange and dramatic was the fact that Leitrim needed a few late saves from the outstanding Scott Kerr to hold a Sligo team who were second best for 95% of Friday’s contest in the rain and cold, a dominant Leitrim worth far more than the five points that separated the teams at the end.

The Leitrim Gaels keeper made three saves in the closing seven minutes, which included more than five minutes of added time, to hold the Yeatsmen at bay but to think this was anything other than a dominant Leitrim victory would do a disservice to Danny Beck’s side who were in a class of their own for most of this contest.

Three goals from the outstanding Conor Reynolds, some precision freetaking from Jack Prior and more long range bombs from Jack Moolick and Senan McGowan gave Leitrim a definite edge in scoring ability against a Sligo team who lacked the precision in creating chances and finishing ability that defined the Leitrim challenge.

Yet Leitrim’s victory was also built on a stingy defence - the reason so many of Sligo’s moves broke down was an extremely hard working and tigerish Leitrim defence where Jack Donohue, Evan Gilligan and Karl Gethins stood out while Moolick and Thomas Gunn’s strength around the middle of the park was another huge plus.

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Kerr came up with some wonderful saves late on to deny Sligo goals on three occasions, goals that might have made Friday’s victory a lot more nervy while Jack Donohue was a man possessed, seemingly everywhere across the backline as Leitrim claimed a famous victory.

Danny Beck spoke last week of the burden placed upon his young charges of carrying the hopes of the county and incredibly, between National League and Championship at Senior, U20 and Minor level, this was the first victory for Leitrim in 2025, a small ray of sunshine in the gloom of Kilcoyne Park.

Leitrim now go into the All-Ireland B Championship with the team that finishes third in Connacht, the beaten quarter and semi-finalists from Leinster and Ulster and the third placed team from Munster. Games start on the weekend of May 17.

The opening minutes saw both teams struggle to adapt to the rain and strong wind that Leitrim had behind them in the first half. Both teams had a wide and it took six minutes for the first goal but what a score it was, a shot from Daire McCabe falling short, Sligo failing to clear their lines and Conor Reynolds drilling home.

Senan McGowan shot wide from distance but a good Sligo move ended with Marc Clifford pointing on nine minutes. The wides continued, Leitrim more wasteful before Jack Prior converted a free on 13 minutes.

A minute later, the sides were level - a long ball seemed to be drifting wide but it was kept in. The initial shot was blocked but Ryan Healy followed up from close range for a Sligo goal. Leitrim’s response was the winning of the game as they hit an unanswered 1-4 in the next eight minutes.

Daire McCabe scored a wonderful free from the corner, Senan McGowan blasted over a long range two-pointer while Jack Prior converted a free, a very soft one awarded in a half where referee Declan Corcoran incurred the ire of Sligo fans with a series of decisions that went in favour of the Green & Gold.

The Leitrim team that won the 2025 Electric Ireland Connacht MFC Shield title Picture: Willie Donnellan

Scott Kerr batted out a shot from Eanna Gilbin, Daire McCabe dropped a shot into the keeper but then came a slight bit of fortune when Senan McGowan’s long range point attempt drifted wide but Thomas Gunn came up with a superb catch and fed Conor Reynolds for an easy close range finish to the net on 22 minutes.

Leitrim actually kicked the next three wides before a 50 was moved in, apparently for dissent, with Prior converting. The half ended with Marc Clifford converting a free, also moved in, to leave Leitrim with a 2-6 to 1-2 lead but Sligo would have the wind at their back in the second half.

Yet that wind seemed to make little difference to the Green & Gold - Prior converted a second minute free after a foul on Reynolds and after Sligo hit two wides and butchered a goal chance as they bore down on goal, Leitrim struck for their third goal when Reynolds beat his man in from the corner and finished sharply and neatly to the Sligo net eight minutes into the half.

To rub salt in the wounds, Jack Moolick then fired over a monster two-pointer into the wind with Sligo responding with a free from Ryan Lang for overcarrying. Leitrim had a lucky escape when keeper Gareth Cummins came upfield for a short 50 and lobbed a high ball into the area, the ball skidded off the hands of a leaping Moolick but Scott Kerr made a good save.

Leitrim took note and hit back in style - a long relieving clearance found Daire McCabe alone on the wing, a strong run took him past his man and towards the Sligo goal. The ball escaped his grasp as he bore down on goal but the Leitrim captain drew cleverly on the ball, sending it to the net for Leitrim’s fourth goal.

That appeared to be it as far as the game was concerned with Leitrim leading by 15 points but Sligo started to find a bit more space, Ryan Lang firing over and Rian Gilmartin hitting a monster two pointer while Leitrim sub Sean Gaffney, who replaced hat-trick hero Conor Reynolds, saw a shot hit the upright.

Still time was not in Sligo’s favour but they gave themselves a boost when they won a free despite what looked like a clear shoulder on a Leitrim defender bending down to collect the ball. The free went in quickly and Lang finished expertly to the Leitrim led to leave nine between the teams.

Lang added a free but Moolick seemed to soothe growing Leitrim nerves with another monster two point, this time on the turn but Sligo were starting to dominate possession and Gilmartin added a point before Kerr made a great save to Sligo a goal, Marc Clifford pointing from the rebound.

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Sligo appeared to throw caution to the wind with Kerr making a good save to deny Sligo another goal, sub Ewan Boland firing over from the broken play, the sub then hitting a two pointer to incredibly cut Leitrim’s 15 point lead back to just five as added time started.

Sligo were now on a mission and Lang cracked a spectacular effort from 30 yards off the Leitrim crossbar, the Green & Gold clearing the danger. Moolick shot wide before Sligo won a late free but Boland’s effort was never going to beat the entire Leitrim team on the goal-line and the final whistle blew to signal the start of Leitrim celebrations.

LEITRIM

Scorers: Conor Reynolds 3-0; Daire McCabe 1-1, 1f; Jack Prior (4f) & Jack Moolick (2 2pt) 0-4 each; Senan McGowan 0-2, 1 2pt

Team: Scott Kerr, Jack Donohoe, Ronan Connolly, Louis Quinn, Cillian McWeeney, Evan Gilligan, Karl Gethins, Thomas Gunn, Gearoid Curely, Conor Reynolds, Senan McGowan, Ronan Fox, Daire McCabe, Jack Moolick, Jack Prior. Subs: Sean Gaffney for Reynolds (44); Frankie McManus for McGowan (50); Darragh Boyle for Gilligan (53)

SLIGO

Scorers: Ryan Lyan 1-3, 1f; Rian Gilmartin (1 2pt) & Marc Clifford (f) 0-3 each; Ryan Healy 1-0; Ewan Boland 0-2

Team: Gareth Cummins, Conor Boyle, Adam Taheny, Darragh Cuffe, James Donoghue, Rian Gilmartin, Eanna Giblin, Brian Meehan, Conor Walsh, Conor Davey, Adam Feeney, Ryan Healy, Ryan Lang, Marc Clifford, Diarmuid Cully. Subs: Ewan Boland for Cully (48); Johnny Coyle for Feeney (51); Conor Stenson for Boyle (55)

Referee: Declan Corcoran (Mayo)