Hurlers finish with a flourish as they run up big win over Lancashire

Their Allianz NHL Division 4 hopes may have been gone but Leitrim were intent on setting the tone for the forthcoming Lory Meagher Cup when they inflicted a 19 point defeat on an understrength Lancashire last Saturday in Heartland Credit Union Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada.

Manager Mike Wall spoke of the importance of laying down a marker for the championship and Leitrim certainly did that, running up their biggest winning margin of the campaign as they look like a side improving with every outing and they could be a dark horse for the Lory Meagher campaign.

There are caveats, of course, as Lancashire were down four or five starters, all key players down the centre and they could be boosted by a few more additions in the coming weeks before Leitrim travelling across the pond in four weeks time so nobody will be getting too carried away yet.

But it is hard to deny the improvement in Leitrim's hurling over recent weeks with the fact that they are simply getting more games under their belts means they are sharper in their hurling and more accurate, a factor that contributed heavily to their round 1 and 2 losses to Sligo and Longford. 

In fact, it is hard not to feel some pangs of regret with the timing of those games and one feels that the chance of reaching a League final was lost against Longford in particular, a game Leitrim could have taken a scalp in. Mike Wall won't dwell on those regrets but he will tell his troops that they have no reason to fear anyone when it comes to the Lory Meagher Cup, staring on the weekend of April 11-12, with Monaghan coming to town.

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Daniel Miller got Leitrim off to a quick start, turning sharply from a long  ball, to score in the first minute. A harsh over-carrying call against Leitrim saw Padraic Burke level for Lancashire but that was as close as they got as Leitrim pushed on, not with an explosion of scores but a steady stream that kept Lancashire pinned down.

Miller (free), Martin Feeney, Philip Burgess from halfway and a Miller free put Leitrim four clear while Joe Murray got a harsh yellow for a collision with Longford's Darren McNamara,  both players clearly with eyes only for the sliothar, Burke slotting over the free.

Two Miller frees and one from Burgess extended the  lead before Paul Mulligan scored from distance. Dhani Keane drove over after  a rebound from a James McNabola shot before Darren Collins got Lancashire's third on the midway point of the first half.

Lancashire keeper Ryan McCarthy did well to save a McNabola shot, set up by Kane, but Burgess intercepted a clearance to point for Leitrim, Burke replying for the Exiles.

Miller (free) and Burgess from distance put Leitrim nine clear but the home side had to be alert, Clement Cunniffe batting out a dangerous high ball as a Lancashire player charged in but from the clearance, the visitors failed to clear and James McNabola produced a cool, low finish to the net on 26 minutes.

The Lancashire team that was defeated by Leitrim Picture: Willie Donnellan

Padraic Burke saw a snap shot go wide as Miller and Sean O'Riordan added points. At the other end, Paul Lenehan and Joe Murray combined to block a goal effort from a raiding Darren McNamara with Conor Murphy adding a point for Lancashire.

Paul Mulligan and Murphy swapped late points as Leitrim led by an impressive 1-16 to 0-6 at the halftime break. That form was maintained early in the second half with Padraic Burke pointing twice for Lancashire, one from a free, with Philip Burgess replying for the hosts.

But any hope Lancashire had of mounting an unlikely comeback with the wind at their backs was ended when James McNabola's shot dropped short and Daniel Miller managed to tap the ball down to himself before driving the sliothar to the net for Leitrim's second goal with nine minutes of the second half gone.

Miller added two more points as O'Riordan and McNabola both  hit one apiece from play over the next seven points, the lead reaching 20 points when O'Riordan put over a free on the midway point of the second half.

Ethan Costello pulled back a point for the Exiles while Clement Cunniffe made a good save from Ian O'Brien's goal bound shot and the impressive Pearse Kenny blocked the follow-up shot, Padraic Burke converting a free shortly after.

Sean O'Riordan matched that with a free, Burke hitting back from a placed ball before Gavin O'Hagan landed after a good pass from sub Gavin O'Brien but with Leitrim starting to run their bench, the game started to peter out, becoming disjointed.

Ethan Costello added a point, matched by a Burgess score after good work from sub Tommy Taylor but Lancashire went on a relative scoring spree with Costello firing over and Burke hitting two points, one a brilliant effort from out near the sideline.

That cut the gap to 16 points but Leitrim were determined to end on a high as sub Michael O'Brien raised a huge cheer with a successful sideline cut from the 21 yard line and then caught the puck-out to fire over from 65 metres! Philip Burgess brought the game to a close with a point as Leitrim finished the league with a fourth win on the trot!

LEITRIM

Scorers: Daniel Miller 1-9, 7f; Philip Burgess 0-7, 1f; Sean O’Riordan 0-4, 1f; James McNabola 1-1; Paul Mulligan & Michael O’Brien (f) 0-2 each; Martin Feeney, Gavin O’Hagan & Dhani Keane 0-1 each

Team: Clement Cunniffe, Pearse Kenny, Niall Crowe, Kevin Clerkin, Paul Lenehan, Martin Feeney, Philip Burgess, Sean O’Riordan, Joe Murray, Stephen Goldrick, Gavin O’Hagan, Daniel Miller, James McNabola, Dhani Keane, Paul Mulligan. Sub: Gavin O’Brien for Keane (41); Michael O’Brien for Mulligan (50); Senan Keane for Muller (55); Aaron Rynn & Tommy Taylor for O’Riordan & Clerkin (62)

LANCASHIRE

Scorers: Padraic Burke 0-10, 1 65, 7f; Ethan Costello 0-3; Conor Murphy 0-2; Darren Collins 0-1

Team: R. McCarthy, P. Dwayne, E. Kelly, A. Doyle, D. McNamara, S. Nugent, A. Shanahan, I. O’Brien, D. Collins, P. Burke, P. McDonald, T. McKavanagh, B. Donnellan, E. Costello, C. Murphy. Subs: B. Slattery for Kelly (52); R. Duffy for McKavanagh (55); C. Digan & E. Lawlor for Collins & Donnellan (61); Donnellan for O’Brien (67)

Referee: Michael Connolly (Sligo)