Heartbreak for Leitrim as two point Jackson free in added time snatches Wicklow victory

An injury time Mark Jackson free broke Leitrim hearts in Echelon Aughrim Park on Sunday as the Green & Gold were denied a famous Allianz NFL Division 4 victory due primarily to the superb placekicking of the hosts after a thrilling encounter.

The gut wrenching defeat was hard to stomach as Leitrim recovered from a five point deficit midway through the second half to lead by a point as the game went into injury time. But, as he had all day, the howitzer boot of Jackson sent a huge pressure free over the Leitrim crossbar to snatch the victory.

Truth be told, it is difficult to know what to feel after the game as pride and regret were felt in equal measure - Leitrim let slip a glorious opportunity to lay down a marker for the Division 4 campaign but the performance was incredibly heart-warming and encouraging, more so when you consider the calibre players yet to come back into the side.

With Ryan O’Rourke orchestrating the attack, Conor Quinn and Keith Keegan exceptional in the middle of the park and Eoin McLoughlin and Mark Diffley leading a defiant defence, Leitrim have often performed worse and won but Wicklow’s ability to convert from distance breaking Leitrim’s hearts.

Wicklow’s expertise with placed balls proved the difference on the day, all but three of their tally coming from the boot of Jackson and Eoin Darcy frees and fifties, while Leitrim had just four points from placed balls leaving Leitrim with huge regrets. Jackson, who landed nine points from placed balls and also saw a 60 yard effort from play come off the Leitrim crossbar, was the victor in a game where both keepers played exceptional roles.

Daire O’Shea also landed a fifty but his contribution was more traditional with a series of incredible saves to deny the home side goals on five occasions. A late replacement for the injured Killian Gaffey, O’Shea turned in a superb display between the sticks, denying Wicklow certain goals on at least four occasions while kick-outs, a source of concern during the FBD League, turned into an area of Leitrim dominance, on both ends.

That resilience and stubbornness was echoed throughout the team and when Ben Guckian and Riordan O’Rourke scored cracking goals in either half, Leitrim looked as if they would pull off a shock win on the road.

But in a game where referee Ian Howley managed to incur the wrath of both teams and fans, Leitrim will surely be cursing their luck over some of the Meath’s officials decisions with two points wiped off the board, one for over-carrying by Tom Prior and the other for Ryan O’Rourke advancing beyond the white foam mark for a free.

Manager Steven Poacher was also penalised for interaction with the linesmen, booked for his trouble but Wicklow made it a doubly harsh punishment when they opted to bring the 21 yard free out the field for Jackson to thump over the bar from the 45 metre line! 

In a clash where millimetres made the difference, you can help but wonder what might have been yet for all that, it is hard to deny that this was an excellent performance, the county's best since the famous victory over Laois two seasons ago in Laois Hire O'Moore Park and after a tough 2025, it is certainly the shot in the arm that this team so badly needed.

Leitrim opened brightly, Ben Guckian’s first minute shot deflected out for a fifty converted by Daire O’Shea. Eoin Darcy replied with a free after a late foul and after a Riordan O’Rourke wide, Leitrim should have goaled when Ryan O’Rourke broke through on goal but his powerful shot thundered off the crossbar, going over for a second Leitrim point.

At the other end, Daire O’Shea made a huge save to deny Christopher O’Brien a certain goal and diverted a follow-up out for a fifty converted by his opposite number Mark Jackson. The Leitrim keeper then made another huge save from Eoin Murtagh after seven minutes, preventing another certain goal.

Darcy edged Wicklow in front with two converted frees, Leitrim missing two chances at the opposite end but after Ryan O’Rourke hit a good point, Steven Poacher’s side dramatically went in front, an O’Shea 50 dropping wide and short but Ben Guckian somehow managed to keep it in and despite three Wicklow defenders bearing down on him, he rifled a great shot to the net after 18 minutes.

Ryan O’Rourke then had a successful free chalked off the scoreboard after he exceeded the white spray left by referee Ian Howley while another Wicklow goal chance at the opposite end, a fisted effort from Joe Prendergast was cleared off the line.

Fergal McLoughlin landed a fine point after a high effort was not claimed by Jackson and a soft enough free allowed Ryan O’Rourke edge the visitors four points clear after 29 minutes. But Wicklow came back in the closing minutes of the half, Keith Keegan penalised for over carrying and Jackson converting a two point free into the wind to leave the halftime score at 1-5 to 0-7 for Leitrim.

The second half started with Leitrim’s Conor Quinn and Kieran Clancy and Wicklow’s Sean Murphy & Dean Healy being booked for their part in a bout of pushing and shoving at the end of the first half but it was Leitrim who started bright, Keith Keegan and Tom Prior combining to release Ryan O’Rourke for a fine point.

But Wicklow, now with the admittedly tricky crossfield wind benefiting them, surged into the lead - O’Brien and Healy landed points from play before James Rooney was penalised for over-carrying after he won the ball from the kickout, Wicklow breaking for Padraig O’Toole to fire over.

That score came with an extra penalty as Leitrim manager Steven Poacher was yellow carded for his protests to the linesman and a free awarded to Wicklow on the 21 yard line. Wicklow, of course, opted to bring it out to the 45 metre line with Jackson chipping it over for a two pointer.

Suddenly, from being two down, Wicklow were now three in front in the space of four minutes but Ryan O’Rourke steadied Leitrim from a free that was brought forward, a bit harshly, but Leitrim’s day seemed to done when Mark Diffley was black carded after attempting to stop a Wicklow breakaway, Jackson hitting a 60 yard two point free.

But Leitrim are made of stern stuff - Ben Guckian converted a free that had Wicklow fans howling before the St Mary's man released Tom Prior for a superb point on the break, the gap now two points after 15 minutes of the second half.

The drama continued with two goals in quick succession - first Wicklow were awarded a penalty with Eoin Darcy sending O’Shea the wrong way. Jackson then launched a monster two point attempt from play, the ball cannoning off the crossbar - Keith Keegan came charging out of defence, won a free and took a solo and go.

His long ball found Conor Quinn who expertly fed Riordan O’Rourke for a brilliantly applied finish and we were back to a two point game. Mark Diffley’s ten minute spell on the sideline ended and Leitrim were moving, Ryan O’Rourke scoring a great point on the run before Darcy replied from a free.

With both teams struggling to impose themselves on each other, Leitrim sent on Oisin McLoughlin, Michael McKieran, Arek Oberwan, Gavin Reynolds and Ruairi O’Rourke in quick succession and it seemed to pay off when a typical Tom Prior run ended with a fabulous point with just over seven minutes left on the clock.

Wicklow continued to be dangerous and Mark Diffley made a superb block to deny Jack Hardy a goal two minutes later while Conor Quinn was unlucky with a fisted effort from a short Ruairi O’Rourke shot.

From that kickout, Keegan and Oisin McLoughlin combined to set up Tom Prior for another point with just over three minutes left, tying the scores. Leitrim were moving with real intent and after a great move, Oisin McLoughlin swung over a fabulous point to leave the small but vocal Leitrim crowd cheering for the rafters.

Ruairi O’Rourke and Eoin Darcy both left efforts short at opposite ends but when Wicklow won a 50 yard plus free over a minute into the allotted five minutes of added time, Jackson thumped over another monster score to put the home side back in front.

Leitrim gave everything to work an equaliser in the three and a half minutes left on the clock but the nearest they got was a great effort from Mark Diffley that drifted wide of the far post. Leitrim kept pushing and Wicklow needed a late interception from a high ball to secure the victory.

WICKLOW

Scorers: Mark Jackson 0-9, 1 45, 4 tpf; Eoin Darcy 1-5, 1-5f; Padraig O’Toole, Christopher O’Brien & Dean Healy 0-1 each

Team: M. Jackson, T. Moran, C. Gallagher, C. Deering; J. Fleming, E. Murtagh, G. Fogarty; D. Healy, J. Hardy; C. McDonald, P. O’Tool, J. Prendergast; C. O’Brien, S. Murphy, E. Darcy. Subs: O. McGraynor for Joe Prendergast (HT), D. Fee for Fleming (45), J. McCall for Fogarty (60), C. Maguire for Gallagher (65)

LEITRIM

Scorers: Ryan O’Rourke 0-6, 4f; Ben Guckian 1-1, 1f; Tom Prior 0-3; Riordan O’Rourke 1-0; Daire O’Shea (50), Oisin McLoughlin & Fergal McLoughlin 0-1 each

Scorers: Daire O’Shea; Eoin McLoughlin, Kieran Clancy, Sean Harkin; James Rooney, Mark Diffley, Eanna McNamara; Conor Quinn, Keith Keegan; Fergal McLoughlin, Riordan O’Rourke, Tom Prior; Ben Guckian, Ryan O’Rourke, Jack Kelly. Subs: Oisin McLoughlin for Kelly (51), Michael McKiernan for Rooney (55), Arek Oberwan for McNamara (59); Gavin Reynolds for F. McLoughlin (62), Ruairi O’Rourke for Guckian (65)

Referee: Ian Howley (Meath)