Leitrim schools fall just short to Sligo in windswept encounter

Leitrim’s amalgamated schools suffered a two-point loss to a Sligo schools team that just kept their noses ahead on a rough night in Enniscrone on Friday.

Sligo came into the game on the back of a nine-point defeat to St Jarlath’s College in Tuam, while Leitrim were more confident after giving Claregalway a hiding in Annaduff two weeks ago to open their Connacht A schools championship campaign.

There was a deadly wind blowing straight down the pitch as the game was thrown in, and you got the sense that whichever team used it best would have the winning of the game. In a strange twist, both teams seemed to play better with it in their faces than at their backs.

Leitrim started the game playing into the breeze, and played a very tactically sound game, holding the ball for long periods, not rushing attacks when it was not on, and being clinical when they got their chances to convert.

The game opened quickly with Sligo’s Niall Duffy missing the mark in the first minute before Conor Langan got them rolling in the second.

READ MORE: Pictures: Leitrim auctioneers bring elegant residence beside a castle to the market

Jack Moolick linked up well with full forward Jamie Plunkett to find himself in enough space to swing a point high and over off his right just inside the arc.

One of the best attributes this Leitrim team has is exceptional tackling and defending, and it was on show throughout the game. Sligo found it hard to live with at times in the beginning of the match as they found themselves turned away back out of the Leitrim defence.

But route one is often best, and when Aodhan Hannon hoofed a ball into the full forward line, it cleared all, falling into the path of wing forward Colin Finn, who was one-on-one with Scott Kerr in the Leitrim goal. The Leitrim Gaels man was out fast and spread himself well to deflect the ball out.

Wind at his back, Niall Duffy hammered the resulting 45 over the bar.

Sligo then showed what would ultimately be their most effective tool as they ran at Leitrim with quick hands in a move that ended with corner forward Josh McTiernan fisting over a point to extend their lead.

Frankie McManus got Leitrim rolling again after they patiently moved the ball over and back across the Sligo defence, happily holding onto possession before finding a gap for McManus to swing over a high, long point off his right boot.

Conor Walsh hit a wide from a long-range effort for Sligo before Ben Cawley slotted over a left-footed point in the middle of the Leitrim defence, while space was tight all around him. He couldn’t repeat the feat a minute later when he sliced a shot narrowly wide after jinking his way through the Leitrim defence.

Jack Moolick hit another point for Leitrim, and Senan Kelly added another off his left foot to level the game.

READ MORE: Leitrim councillor calls for drainage works in a number of locations in south Leitrim

Sligo had a free kick from inside their half brought up because of Leitrim dissent, and Niall Duffy hit a beautiful free kick off the ground from outside the 45-metre line. It was heading over for a two-pointer but was touched by a Leitrim player to keep it to one.

Duffy got his two-pointer a minute later, this time hammering over a point from the left side of the arc off the ground and over the bar.

Leitrim were under the gun at the back, but when they went forward, they were very impressive as they again held the ball well before creating a two-on-one on the other side as wing back Darragh Boyle got forward to give and go to set up Jamie Plunkett, who slotted over a right-footed point.

Leitrim ended the half on a high as Jack Attard nailed a free kick inside the arc to reduce the deficit to one at the break. A good return after a half playing with the wind in their faces.

When you have forwards who finish moves like Leitrim’s did in the first half, football starts to look like a very simple game, and the sense at halftime was that Leitrim would take over with the wind at their back — but it wasn’t to be the case.

The beginning of the second half was marked by four wides from fairly wild shots from far-flung spots on the field as the team — which was admittedly brilliant at long-range shooting against Claregalway — could not find their mark.

Leitrim had the bulk of possession and attacking momentum in the first ten minutes of the second half, but shots from far and wide led to one shot dropping short and three wides, while Sligo extended their lead with a high point from Conor Langan.

Sligo’s Niall Duffy and Leitrim’s Jamie Plunkett traded wides before Frankie McManus gave Leitrim their first point of the half on 45 minutes when a quick give-and-go got him enough space to slot over a shot.

Leitrim added another wide, this time through Senan McGowan.

When Sligo went directly at Leitrim and moved the ball through the hands, they caused massive problems throughout the game, but late on it really began to pay dividends as substitute Aaron Bourke went through a gap and stuck a point from 25 metres. They added another from the heart of the Leitrim defence a minute later.

Frankie McManus gave Leitrim a much-needed moment as he fired over a left-footed two-pointer from outside the left side of the arc to put them within one heading into the final ten minutes.

But Sligo had found their purple patch and gaps were opening when they ran at Leitrim as full back Dante Currid got forward to slot over a point from 25 metres. Then the killer blow came as Ben Cawley found his way through the Leitrim defence to rocket the ball low and hard into the Leitrim goal.

Leitrim mounted a comeback with a point from substitute Ronan Fox and two frees from Jamie Plunkett, but it wasn’t enough.

A late chance saw a dropping free kick punched dangerously towards the Sligo goal, but it was collected on the line by a defender, and the Yeats men held out for the first win of their campaign.

Sligo

Diarmuid Feeney; Jake Noone; Dante Currid; Shane Murphy; Kyle Sexton; Darragh Cuffe; Oisin Moylan; Conor Walsh; Ewan Boland; Aodhan Hannon; Ben Cawley; Colin Fin; Conor Langan; Niall Duffy; Josh McTiernan. Subs: Aaron Bourke for Niall Duffy (47);  Niall Willis for Tom Kelly for Conor Langan.

Scorers: Conor Langan 0-2; Niall Duffy 0-5, 45,1tp,1f; osh McTiernan 0-1; Ben Cawley 1-1; Dante Currid 0-1.

Leitrim

Scott Kerr; John McGarry; Luke Farrell; Ronan Connolly; Michael O’Grady; Evin Gilligan; Darragh Boyle; Jack Moolick; Frankie McManus; Jack Prior; Senan McGowan; Karl Gethins; Jack Attard; Jamie Plunket; Senan Kelly. Subs: Cillian McWeeney for Michael O’Grady(42); Ronan Fox for Senan Kelly (53).

Scorers: Jack Moolick 0-2; Frankie McManus 0-4, 1tp; Senan Kelly 0-1; Jamie Plunkett 0-3.1f; Jack Attard 0-1; Ronan Fox 0-1.