THE LAST POINT: Learning to expect the unexpected

After a Allianz NFL Division 4 campaign that has probably as many twists and turns as the famed Lombard Street in San Francisco, I'm not sure I can keep track of what is happening in this roller-coaster League voyage. A journey that has lilted from disaster to celebration and everywhere in between saw another frankly astonishing and almost bizarre chapter last Sunday in Heartland Credit Union Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada.

Going into Sunday's clash with our Leinster neighbours, not many were giving Steven Poacher's side any hope of pulling off a shock victory and, going by results so far, hard to blame anyone for feeling that way. After all, Mike Solan's side were coming in hot after a strong run of form and well, let's say Leitrim were coming in under a cloud after two chastening defeats to Antrim and Tipperary.

The nervous laughter that greeted one excited Leitrim fan roaring out 'Come on Leitrim' before the start of the game probably summed up the mood as Longford's fans waited expectantly for a win that would put them on the brink of Division 3 football but the mood music quickly changed and it wasn't from anything particularly brilliant on the field.

If anything, Longford looked the more accomplished and trailing by just five points with the considerable wind at their backs in the second half, you'd have put good money on the visitors to pull away to their expected victory. But like I said, the mood music was different - Leitrim supporters warmed to the intensity and effort of the Green & Gold players, the voices encouraging the efforts of Steven Poacher's players growing louder and more enthusiastic and that transmitted itself to the field.

Halftime conversations were littered with pride at the first half display and an abundance of caution given that wind that was blowing towards the still leafy trees at the scoreboard end of Pairc Sean. But then something happened - Leitrim exploded out of the gates and delivered a stupendous opening 12 minutes of the second half, outscoring Longford 1-6 t0 0-1.

THE LAST POINT: A BLIP OR A WARNING FOR LADIES?

After that, I couldn't see Leitrim getting caught - not because Longford weren't trying -  they certainly upped their efforts - but the confidence visibly grew in Leitrim hearts on the field and in the stands and at the end, my only quibble is that we didn't eat far more into the scoring deficits that make promotion an unlikely pipe dream at this stage.

I won't bore you by going into the permutations of what needs to happen to see Leitrim get promoted, I did a piece elsewhere in these pages and by the end of it, I wasn't sure if I was coming or going! All I know is that seven teams can still, technically, seal promotion next Sunday and that looked highly unlikely a couple of weeks ago.

What Leitrim want, and desperately need, is a strong finish to carry into the Connacht Championship - Sligo aren't going that strongly at the moment and Markievicz Park holds no fears for the Green & Gold and for a young team, momentum is everything.

Those who know me well will know I have a few caveats to add - were Longford over-confident? They never got out of the gates and, in a similar vein, was the fact that Leitrim's hopes firmly written off meant that Steven Poacher's troops finally played without pressure or expectations? The contrast with Clonmel couldn't be starker, a game where the pressure was very definitely on.

Leitrim travel to Carlow next Sunday,  knowing there is a very slim, outside shot at promotion -  a million dollar half-court sort of deal - so does that scenario relieve the pressure or increase it? Are Carlow under  more pressure as they seem to be stumbling just when it looked as if they had promotion sewn up?

We know better than anyone how momentum switches sides with treacherous ease! We had Wicklow beaten in Aughrim only for Mark Jackson to wallop a huge two point free over the bar. We struggled mightily to beat Waterford and, truth be told, we were incredibly fortunate to escape Ruislip with a victory and had Barry McNulty not being brought back to action, we'd have lost to London.

Antrim and Tipperary were every bit as much  horror shows as the Longford game was a dream as Leitrim's form in this campaign mirrors just what a madcap adventure Division 4 of the Allianz National League has been in 2026 as Leitrim, sitting in seventh place in the table going into the final round, still had an outside chance of finishing in the top two - trying selling that idea to a Hollywood script writer and they'd reject it for being too far fetched!

We've also got to worry about Barry McNulty - it looked initially as if the Glencar Manorhamilton man had badly twisted his ankle but reports suggest that an errant boot from an opponent caught the back of his ankle, no less sore and no less worrying for a player who had been dogged by injury these past few seasons.

Then there is the matter of the U20 players with the Provincial championship starting next Wednesday - I know the County Board have settled this once and for all with the Senior side getting first call but I'd imagine Enda Lyons wouldn't be adverse to seeing Paul Honeyman, Jack Kelly, Ruairi O'Rourke, Tom Plunkett or Eanna McNamara get a rest ahead of their clash with Galway.

If Leitrim have even the tiniest sliver of a chance of promotion, Steven Poacher has got to go full bore next Sunday in Netwatch Cullen Park but the dilemma again underlines the constraints and challenges faced by smaller counties against the big boys!

I've said it before, losing out on promotion wouldn't be the end of the world for a young squad that needs time to develop - I'd love to see us pull off a miracle, if only for the bizarre reason of wondering how many superlatives and cliches I could fit into a report next week. 

But there is no denying Leitrim have made genuine, honest to goodness progress this year - there have been set-backs as well and we're by no-means the finished article but days like last Sunday in Pairc Sean give you reason to hope that we're on the right track and that is just class!

CONGRATULATIONS CARRICK CS & DIARMAID

Can't finish this column without a word, or two, of congratulations to the rugby community in Carrick on Shannon on a fantastic few days, days so good that it is hard to know which was the highlight.

Diarmaid O'Connell's starring role with the Ireland U20 teams in securing the Triple Crown in Cork last Sunday marks him down as a potential Ireland Senior international and that is saying something given the riches of talent at Ireland's disposal right now. Diarmaid may no longer be sporting Carrick RFC's colours on the field of play but his pride in his home place and home club and his achievements on the field of play should be celebrated by every single Leitrim person.

Yet Diarmaid's achievements may just be overshadowed by what Carrick Community School achieved last week in winning a first ever Provincial  title for a Leitrim school. I know some will carp and point out that it is a Development League Cup but from where they have started, Carrick RFC have taken huge strides.

Kudos to Carrick CS and their coach Edwina Guckian for recognising that there was a desire to field a team in rugby - the big criticism rugby gets is that it is elitist and a closed shop but Carrick RFC, through their members in the Community School, Diarmaid O'Connell and an incredible 11 club members lining out with the victorious Sligo Grammar School Connacht Junior Cup winning team, are kicking down doors in style.

Congratulations to everyone associated in any way with some groundbreaking achievements for Leitrim sport!