Clinical and speedy Galway far too strong for nervous Leitrim

A young and nervous Leitrim got a rough introduction to this year’s Electric Ireland Connacht Minor Championship in St Jarlath’s Stadium in Tuam as a speedy and more incisive Galway cut through them to record a 12 point victory that didn’t flatter the Tribesmen one little bit.

With the Green & Gold caught cold in the opening 12 minutes, Galway struck for 1-5 as their quick passing and straight line attacking left the visitors struggling to cope in the opening round of the provincial U17 competition and once they had their stranglehold on the game, Galway never let up.

Leitrim, visibly nervous at times, just could build any momentum and despite a ten minute spell without a score after Galway’s initial scoring burst, Galway’s lightning quick attacks contrasted with Leitrim’s possession play, particularly when the young Tribesmen forced turnovers.

Three Leitrim points in two minutes just before halftime heralded a mini-recovery for the Green & Gold but a second Galway goal almost on the stroke of halftime killed off any hope Leitrim had, the Tribesmen stretching their lead to 18 points after the 50 minute mark.

Credit Leitrim with a late rally, outsourcing Galway 1-4 to 0-1 from the 52nd mark but the damage had been well and truly done at that stage and the home side had already begun running the bench at that stage as all intensity left the game.

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The manner of the defeat, as much of the scale of it, will be a big shock to this next generation of Leitrim footballers but they have little choice but to put the heads down and learn the lesson from the game as they host Mayo next Friday in Heartland Credit Union Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada.

Just a minute into the contest, keeper Elvis Shehaj did well to bat away a low Galway shot before the Tribesmen shot wide but the home side didn’t have long to wait for a score as Darragh Kelly won the kickout and ball was quickly transferred into Adam Healy for a fine point.

Kelly and his midfield partner Oisin O Neachtain dominated the midfield battle and it led to scores for Eanna Maher, Healy and Joey Cullinane after a quick Galway break by the sixth minute. Full-back Eoin Gannon got in on the scoring act after nine minutes, Leitrim losing possession in the Galway half and the home side transitioning quickly and with great effect.

Those turnovers proved crucial on 11 minutes - Eanna Maher won a crucial turnover from a crossfield Leitrim pass, winning the ball in the challenge before sending the ball in long to Mikey Mitchell. Mitchell turned the defence and sped across to leave Aaron Hanrahan with a simple fisted goal.

The Leitrim team that was defeated by Galway on Friday in the Electric Ireland Connacht MFC clash in Tuam Picture: Willie Donnellan

A shell-shocked Leitrim managed a first meaningful shot after 19 minutes, although one or two efforts had fallen way short or drifted wide with Galway boosting their score with points from O Neachtain and Healy, for a free after a three man breach.

Leitrim finally opened their account after 25 minutes, a long ball and quick transfer setting up Colm McLaughlin for a fine point before Joshua Bosquette hit two in quick succession, one a fine effort from play and the second a free, to leave Leitrim trailing by seven after 27 minutes.

But with time almost up, Galway broke free and with Leitrim appealing for over-carrying, Mikey Mitchell got a fist to the ball ahead of Shehaj, the ball cannoning off the base of the post but crucial evading the grasp of two defenders as the Galway corner-forward reacted ruthlessly for his team’s second goal.

That left Galway with a commanding 2-7 to 0-3 halftime lead and despite the introduction of Sean Keaney & Harry Newcombe, Galway stretched their lead. Cullinane swapped a point with Senan Kelly, from a free, before O Neachtain thumped a two pointer, albeit coming off the crossbar and the hands of Shehaj.

Mitchell and Hanrahan added points before Michael O’Grady’s strong run through the centre of the Galway defence threatened a goal only for a pull-back to see him drag his shot wide, Kelly popping over the resulting free.

Healy and O Neachtain added points as Galway continued to pile on the scoring stretching their lead to 18 points after points from Darragh Kelly and sub Shane Heneghan by the 50th minute.

Hugh McGovern raised a Leitrim cheer when his close range finish got underneath the Galway keeper for a goal with just over seven minutes of normal time left. Heneghan added his third off the bench to finish Galway’s scoring as the Tribesmen lost sub Ruairi Flaherty to a black card two minutes later.

Leitrim rallied in the closing stages with McGovern, Senan Kelly and a two pointer from a Sean Keaney free closing the gap to 12 points by the time the long whistle sounded.

LEITRIM

Scorers: Hugh McGovern 1-1; Senan Kelly 0-3, 2f; Sean Keaney (2f) & Joshua Bosquette (f)  0-2 each; Colm McLaughlin 0-1

Team: Elvis Shehaj, Dylan Murphy, Tadgh Crowe, Conor Reynolds, Liam Gray, Adam McCormack, Michael O’Grady, Hugh McGovern, Jack Guckian, Matthew Speers, Senan Kelly, Ryan Kelly, Colm McLoughlin, Joshua Bosquette, Conor McCabe. Subs: Sean Keaney & Harry Newcombe for Speers & Gray (HT); Reece Walsh for R Kelly (46); Aaron Gallogly for Murphy (55); Conor Brennan for O’Grady (62)

GALWAY

Scorers: Adam Healy (2f) & Oisin O Neachtain (tp) 0-4 each; Aaron Hanrahan & Mikey Mitchell 1-1 each; Shane Heneghan 0–3; Joey Cullinane 0-2; Eoin Gannon, Eanna Maher and Darragh Kelly 0-1 each

Team: Evan Burke, Evan McDonagh, Eoin Gannon, Ciaran Collins, Ryan Connolly, Cillian Browne, Keelan Moran, Oisin O Neachtain, Darragh Kelly, Eanna Maher, Tiernan Mitchell, Joey Cullinane, Mikey Mitchell, Aaron Hanrahan, Adam Healy. Subs: Ben Devaney for Hanrahan (37); Jamie Dillon for Connolly (39); Shane Heneghan for T Mitchell (41); Ruairi Flaherty for Healy (46); Harry Tierney for Maher (51)

Referee: Brendan Healy (Roscommon)