Leitrim Gaels master the wind to dethrone champions Mohill after blistering first half display

Leitrim Gaels' mastery of the conditions, both with and against the wind, saw them reach their first ever Connacht Gold Leitrim SFC Final and end the reign of back to back champions Mohill in a game that had to be witnessed to be believed in Heartland Credit Union Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada on Saturday, a contest that featured seven goals, two red cards, two black cards and a lot of drama.

Leitrim Gaels’ stunning mastery of the conditions in the first half, ferocious intensity in the ball for the ball around the middle of the park and ability to ghost through for four killer first half goals ensured this game was all but over by the halftime whistle as they led by a stunning 4-10 to no-score.

Mohill’s inability to raise a white flag in the first period crucially killed off any hope of a second half miracle, the Gaels landing four points against the howling wind in the second half as they never truly looked like collapsing, despite a hat-trick of goals from Jordan Reynolds.

The crazy thing was that the wind that dominated this contest didn’t contribute that much to scores but it did set the tone for the midfield battle - Mohill couldn’t get out of their own half at times during the first half and with so much ball going into the danger area, it was inevitable that chances would come.

Interestingly, none of the Gaels’ goals came from using the wind - clever inter-change play and quick moves exposed gaps in the Mohill rearguard and Leitrim Gaels certainly took advantage. In contrast, all three of Jordan Reynolds’ goals came via long ball deliveries but the problem for Mohill was that Leitrim Gaels monopolised possession even against the wind during the second half.

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Credit Mohill for their refusal to give in but there was never any sense of momentum building that might have made a dent on the Gaels’ 22 point lead, their final goal coming deep into added time as they surrendered the Fenagh Cup after two glorious years and brought an end to a five year streak of reaching the County Final.

The game ended on a sour note, unfortunately, with both Conor Quinn (two yellows) and Domhnaill Flynn (straight red) sent to the line early but the game was long gone at that stage, Leitrim Gaels’ power and possession play something they never truly got to grips with.

Stephen Goldrick opened the scoring a minute in when, after missing his first free, a touch on the ground allowed him to convert but the tone of the game was set three minutes later when David Regan's persistent strong run down the right wing saw him cross the ball across the face of the Mohill goal. Aidan Flynn got a strong touch to the ball but Peter O'Neill made a wonder-save only for the ball to be smashed to the net by an alert Jamie Rynn.

It was the perfect start for Leitrim Gaels, the goal confirmed after a lengthy debate by officials if it was a square ball. The strength of the wind was evident with Mohill's early chances from Sean Harkin and Keith Beirne but the Gaels were struggling with the wind too, missing from a Rynn mark and a Goldrick free in the first 11 minutes.

Where they weren't struggling was in winning primary possession, the Gaels turning over a kickout and Garvan Jones leading a three man break but spurning the extra men to fire a brilliant shot to the Mohill net. Two minutes later, Garvan Jones put over a second point.

The Leitrim Gaels team who defeated Mohill to reach their first ever Connacht Gold Leitrim SFC Final Picture: Willie Donnellan

With the wind that was against them, Mohill might have been relatively happy to be only 2-2 down at the end of the first quarter but they did react, bringing Shane Quinn on after just 14 minutes. However, it didn't seem to matter as, in an eight minute spell, the Gaels blitzed them for 2-3. The first goal came when Ryan Jones' long ball from the wing sailed over defenders, leaving David Regan a free run at goal and he made no mistake, sidestepping past the exposed O'Neill for a third Gaels goal.

Conall Jones then walloped two massive two pointers for the Gaels before Donal Casey showed his class with a burst and point on the run. Conal Jones was yellow carded for a foul on Conor Quinn but Mohill got away with a blatant three man breach, the offending player even playing the ball but it didn't seem to matter as the Gaels pounced for a fourth goal when Aidan Flynn flicked the ball over O'Neill following great work from Rynn and Regan.

Garvan Jones added three more points from frees, one a two pointer, but the Gaels' serene march to the final hit a road-bump when David Bruen was black carded in added time after an off-the-ball tangle with Keith Beirne, the Mohill man putting the free wide as Leitrim Gaels led by a scarcely believable 4-10 to no score at the halftime break.

Mohill would have the extra man for the guts of ten minutes in the second half but the scores didn't flow as quickly as the defending champions needed, Sean Harkin pointing inside the first minute and Keith Beirne hitting a well worked two pointer but there was also a yellow card for Conor Quinn and a Keith Beirne free before Bruen was back on the field for the Gaels.

Ironically, just as the Gaels got back to full-strength, Mohill struck for a goal - route one worked a treat as halftime sub Jordan Reynolds fielded a high ball and beat both his man and the keeper for a clinical goal.

But again, Mohill couldn't build on it as Leitrim Gaels held onto possession for long periods that ended with the Gaels doing what Mohill could not against the wind, score with Aidan Flynn pointing after 44 minutes. Sean Harkin took a ‘solo and go’ from his own half and boy did he go, travelling 60 yards to point but the Gaels were comfortable, Conall Jones using the wind to curl a fantastic point on 49 minutes. 

With ten minutes left, it looked hopeless for Mohill but they raised brief hopes when Reynolds got onto the end of a long Domhnaill Flynn ball, Reynolds dodging two defenders to roll the ball into the net. Keith Beirne converted a free after Leitrim Gaels netminder Brian Cull was penalised for taking too long on a kick-out and Reynolds was unlucky to see a fisted effort flash across the face of the goal.

With Leitrim Gaels holding onto possession and running in subs, a Keith Beirne free on 58 minutes left Leitrim Gaels 11 points ahead and the game seemingly dead and buried. But there was still time for drama as Aidan Flynn received a black card in injury time and Jordan Reynolds completed a remarkable second half hat-trick, blasting home two minutes into five minutes of added time.

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That was as close as Mohill would get to defending their title and Leitrim Gaels finished the game on a high when Conall Jones curled an exquisite two point free into the howling wind over the Mohill crossbar to take their winning margin to ten points.

There was, however, still further drama - Mohill lobbed a high ball into the Gaels goalmouth, Conor Quinn got a touch to send it to the net but the score was ruled out for a square infringement, prompting an outbreak of pushing and shoving. Domhnaill Flynn received a straight red card for an incident with David Bruen while Conor Quinn joined him early on the sideline after receiving a second yellow card as Mohill finished the contest with 13 players.

LEITRIM GAELS

Scorers: Conall Jones 0-7, two tp; 3f; Garvan Jones 1-4; 3f; Aidan Flynn 1-1; Jamie Rynn & David Regan 1-0 each; Stephen Goldrick (f) & Donal Casey 0-1 each

Team: Brian Cull, Stephen McDermott, David Bruen, Shane Finn, Aidan Flynn, Donal Casey, Jack Flynn, Ryan Jones, Conall Jones, Shaun Chandler, Garvan Jones, Jamie Rynn, David Regan, Stephen Goldrick, Liam Chandler. Subs: Eunan Treacy for Casey (47); Michael Connolly for Finn (54); Conor Guckian & Aaron Farrell for Rynn & Regan (58); Ryan Goldrick for L Chandler (63)

MOHILL

Scorers: Keith Beirne 0-7, 3f, 1 tp; Sean Harkin 0-2

Team: Peter O’Neill, Ryan Bohan, James Mitchell, Adam McGuinness, Eoghan Duignan, Sean Harkin, David Mitchell, Conor Quinn, Alan Armstrong, Domhnaill Flynn, Keith Keegan, Evan Harkin, Matthew Murphy, Fiachra McGuinness, Keith Beirne. Subs: Shane Quinn for A McGuinness (14); Jordan Reynolds for Murphy (HT); Caillin Canning for E Duignan (47); Donal Duignan for D Mitchell (63)

Referee: Martin Feeney