Leitrim secure first League win since 2024 with strong finish against Waterford

Despite never going behind and only allowing the visitors to get level terms on the 50th minute mark, Leitrim certainly had to dig deep to register a fully merited Allianz NFL Division 4 win over a determined Waterford side on Sunday  at Heartland Credit Union Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada.

Led by Ryan O'Rourke Leitrim held out for a hard fought win over a 14 man Deise outfit, who had Cian Kiely dismissed on a second yellow near the end, a win that was harder than expected against a visiting side who were taking to the field for the first time after their first round game against Longford fell victim to the weather.

It had looked as one stage as if the Munster side might pull off a famous victory when they drew level with  Steven Poacher's side with 15 minutes left in the game. 

However after Waterford got on level terms they were unable to push on in the final twenty minutes of the action as a rejuvenated Leitrim lifted their game to claim a first league win by a solid five point margin at the end.

The victory did not come without some cost as both Mark Diffley and Eanna McNamara exited the game in the first half with injuries, blow that further exacerbated the loss of the influential Tom Prior before a ball was kicked on Sunday. With resources already stretched, Steven Poacher must be praying that his luck will change some time soon.

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While Leitrim was in command for most of the game Waterford pegged the home side right back before the break with goals in quick succession from a clinical  Liam Mulligan effort and from an opportunist flick on ball by Caoimhín Walsh from close range.

These scores certainly provided Waterford with a solid platform to try and turn the tables on the home side during the final 35 minutes . It has also to be said that the Leitrim defensive set up was seriously disrupted for a period in the game's second quarter when an injured Mark Diffley had withdrawn from the fray for the rest of the game.

However after the restart Leitrim tightened up their defensive formation effectively and snuffed out any goal chances that came Waterford's way for the second half. The Leitrim defence certainly shut down Waterford's scoring threat in the last 20 minutes when they forced the Déise men to shoot several wides from good scoring opportunities.

Incredibly, Leitrim's victory is their first in the League since March 2024 when the Green & Gold defeated Tipperary in the final League game of the campaign to secure promotion to Division 3 and, given the results so far, a vital victory in this campaign. 

Leitrim dominated in the opening 25 minutes when they hit five unanswered points. Ben Guckian whipped over two points while Ryan O'Rourke, Jack Kelly and Fergal McLoughlin added a point each.

Waterford, who were aided by the breeze found it difficult to settle into the game, opened their account when Conor Murray fired over a 25th minute point. Murray added another point for the visitors shortly after and brought his side right back into contention.

Ben Guckian hit back with a Leitrim goal on the 27 minute mark. After that Guckian converted a free and Jack Kelly whipped over a well taken two pointer to keep Leitrim in comfortable territory at this stage.

But Waterford finished the half with a flourish with Liam Mulligan and Colin Foley finding the Leitrim net close to the break while Caoimhín Walsh also split the Leitrim uprights. In this period Riordan O'Rourke and Fergal McLoughlin answered with points apiece to leave Leitrim leading by 1-9 to Waterford's 2-3 at the break.

The Leitrim team that defeated Waterford in the Allianz NFL Division 4 campaign Picture: Willie Donnellan

Leitrim went further ahead in the opening minute of the second half when sub Oisin McLoughlin fired over a well taken point. Waterford hit with a Dermot Ryan two pointer and then a single point which reduced Leitrim's lead to the minimum.

Leitrim increased their lead with a Jack Kelly split the  uprights. Then Waterford rallied to get level terms by the 50th minute with points from Stephen Curry and Donal Fitzgerald but they failed to score after that.

Four minutes after that Ryan O'Rourke edged Leitrim ahead when he split the Waterford uprights. Leitrim then closed out the game with two Ryan O'Rourke points while Jack Kelly and Fergal McLoughlin added a point apiece.

Matters got a little heated in the closing minutes of the action when started to play a number of minutes of possession football in the middle of the field. Referee Mark Loughran to disciplinary action near the end when he dismissed Waterford's Cian Kiely on second yellow while he also issued a yellow to Michael Curry.

LEITRIM

Scorers: Jack Kelly 0-6, 1 tp; Ben Guckian 1- 2, 2f; Ryan O'Rourke 0-4; Fergal McLoughlin 0-2; Oisin McLoughlin & Riordan O'Rourke 0-1 each

Team: Daire O'Shea; Eoin McLoughlin, Kieran Clancy, Sean Harkin; James Rooney, Mark Diffley, Eanna McNamara; Conor Quinn, Keith Keegan; Fergal McLoughlin, Riordan O'Rourke, Michael McKiernan; Ben Guckian, Ryan O'Rourke, Jack Kelly. Subs: Donal Feely for Diffley (17); Oisin McLoughlin for McNamara (30); Gavin Reynolds for Harkin (40); Colm McLoughlin for McKiernan (48); Gavin Reynolds for Quinn (55)

WATERFORD

Scorers: L. Mulligan & C. Foley 1- 0 each; D. Ryan 0-3, 1tp; C. Murray 0-2; C. Walsh, S. Curry & Donal Fitzgerald 0-1 each

Team: P. Hunt; G. Power, D. Ó'Cathasaigh, B. Hynes; D. Fitzgerald, A. Crawford, C. Ó Cuirín; M. Curry, C. Walsh; C. Foley, A. Ryan, L. Mulligan; C. Murray, S. Curry, Darragh Walsh. Subs: D. Ryan for D Walsh (HT); M. O'Brien for Curry (50); C. Kiely for Hynes (67): C. Fennell for Ó'Cuirín (72)

REFEREE: Mark Loughran (Tyrone)