Superb Leitrim shock Sligo for first Connacht SFC win over Yeatsmen since 2011

Leitrim defeated Sligo in the Connacht Senior Championship for the first time since 2011, with a narrow win, in a gripping encounter in Markievicz Park.

Few outside the Leitrim camp could have predicted this result, but Leitrim now march on to face Galway in the semi-finals.

This win will undoubtedly go down as one of the great days in Connacht for Leitrim in recent decades.

This Leitrim team has been on a rollercoaster recently. A landslide win over Longford was followed by a crushing defeat to Carlow, as the Division Four campaign ended in disappointment.

To come to Sligo's home patch and deliver this performance is a testament to the character of Stephen Poacher's players.

Sligo had survived in Division Three of the NFL and were aiming to delay their entry into the Tailteann Cup.

However, Leitrim overcame the hurt of a heavy defeat to Carlow with this performance.

They worked as a team throughout this game and there were many players who stood up to the challenges of championship.

Not least of these was Oisin McLoughlin. He replaced Ben Guckian in the starting line up on the day and delivered a tremendous performance.

He scored three points and tormented Sligo all afternoon. Barry McNulty once again affirmed his status as one of the best footballers operating in the so called weaker counties.

He finished with 1-6 and was never found wanting for leadership.

Sligo were perhaps rattled by the intensity Leitrim brought to the game.

The home side looked a little flat at times and Leitrim worked tirelessly.

Mark Diffley was an anchor in defence, tidy and hard working.

Riordan O'Rourke was an effective playmaker, using possession well.

Leitrim led by 2-7 to 0-7 at half-time. The goals came from Barry McNulty (into an empty net) and Keith Keegan.

Leitrim led by 0-2 to 0-1 in the early stages. However, Sligo then reeled off five unanswered points.

Leitrim arrested this surge with a Barry McNulty goal in the 16th minute. Oisin McLoughlin provided an excellent pass to McNulty, who found himself with the relatively simple task of firing to an empty net, with Sligo 'keeper Aidan Devaney inexplicably absent without leave.

McNulty stamped his authority on the game with a point followed by an inspirational two pointer.

In the 27th minute, Keith Keegan found the net for Leitrim, after the ball had broke.

At the other end, Leitrim 'keeper Killian Gaffey came out of his goal strongly to clear a shot from Shane Deignan.

Some might have thought that Sligo would come out galvanised in the second half.

While the home side did press hard in the final quarter with attack after attack, it was Leitrim who sustained their intensity.

Team captain Ryan O'Rourke scored Leitrim's third goal in the 45th minute. That gave Leitrim a nine point lead.

Sligo substitute Pat Spillane found the net midway through the second half. He used his pace to avail of a pass from Cian Lally and his shot raised a green flag, albeit with a deflection from Sean Harkin.

Sligo put Leitrim under severe pressure in the final quarter, with a Lee Deignan two pointer leaving just three points in it.

Substitute David Quinn fired over a two pointer and now there was just two between the sides.

However, Leitrim substitute Paul Honeyman fired over a point in the 65th minute.

Sligo's last score was to be an Alan McLoughlin two pointer.

At the final whistle, the elation from Leitrim supporters showed what this win meant.

Bragging rights have been secured over two neighbours recently and a game against one of the elite sides, Galway, awaits.

Not bad for a county that was unable to field a team 12 months ago.

LEITRIM

Scorers: Barry McNulty 1-6, 1f, tp; Oisin McLoughlin 0-3; Keith Keegan & Ryan O’Rourke 1-0 each; Sean Harkin & Tom Prior 0-2 each; Fergal McLoughlin & Paul Honeyman 0-1 each

Team: Killian Gaffey; Cillian McGloin, Conor Reynolds, Sean Harkin; Eoin McLoughlin, Mark Diffley, Keith Keegan; Conor Quinn, Barry McNulty; Fergal McLoughlin, Riordan O'Rourke, Tom Prior; Ryan O'Rourke (captain, 1-0), Gavin Reynolds, Oisin McLoughlin. Subs: Ben Guckian & Eanna McNamara for Fergal & Eoin McLoughlin (56), Paul Honeyman for O. McLoughlin (59), Jack Kelly for Prior (62), Michael McKiernan for G. Reynolds (64)

SLIGO

Scorers: Lee Deignan 0-7, 1tp, 1f; Alan McLoughlin 0-5, 1 tp, 3f; Luke Towey 0-3, tp; Pat Spillane 1-0; Niall Murphy (f) 0-2 each; Jack Lavin, David Quinn & Cian Lally 0-1 each

Team: Aidan Devaney; Tommy Ross, Conor Sheridan, Luke Casserly; Canice Mulligan, Jack Lavin, Paul Kilcoyne; Darragh Cummins, Luke Towey; Lee Deignan, Alan McLoughlin, Cian Lally; Joshua Flynn, Niall Murphy, Shane Deignan. Subs: Kyle Cawley for S. Deignan, Pat Spillane for Flynn (HT), Daire O'Boyle for Kilcoyne (48), Gavin Gorman for Murphy (50), David Quinn for Sheridan (61)

Referee: Fergal Kelly (Longford)