A strange day in Aughrim

If I could come up with one word to sum the mood of Leitrim fans leaving Echelon Park in Aughrim last Sunday, and that's no easy task given what transpired in two National League outings for the County's Senior Mens and Women's teams, perhaps the word “bewilderment” is the most apt!

I had thought of starting this column off by recounting the details of another long road trip - this time, I had the legendary Willie Donnellan beside me for company so the miles passed by quickly and comfortably, that is until the trusty Google Maps took us off the M11 and into a world that I frankly didn't know existed.

We went up hills, down mountains, around bends that seemed to last forever, passed by beautiful cottages and grand mansions and even somehow ended up going by Avoca before we found ourselves on the Arklow to Aughrim road - with Willie beginning to doubt that we'd ever make to Echelon Park alive, we found our way to the famous - or infamous if we recall the numerous battles of Aughrim references - and picturesque venue nestled in a beautiful valley.

The dilemma of the scoring forward

THE LAST POINT

Turns out, I wasn't the only Leitrim motorist to be sent on a magical mystery tour of the Wicklow countryside so before even a ball was kicked, its fair to say that the Observer Sports department team were more than a little bewildered ourselves!

By the end of the day's double header, we weren't alone in our bewilderment - even the word conjures up images of people struggling to comprehend what they had witnessed in Wicklow's famed  fortress. Those hardy souls that stayed for the Ladies game (and let's be honest Leitrim's reputation as great fans took a big hit as the vast majority of those wearing Green & Gold left  almost as soon as the men's game concluded) were delighted with the performance of Jonny Garrity's side in sealing a Lidl LGFA Division 4 semi-final spot.

But even that delight among those dedicated Leitrim fans was tempered by the memory of what transpired beforehand as, for the second away game in a row, Andy Moran's men  put themselves in a match winning position only to fall under a barrage of late points. Two weeks earlier, it was Wexford reeling off five points to one from Leitrim to seal a four point victory.

On Sunday, the trauma was more pronounced as Wicklow hit six without reply to wipe out a three point Leitrim lead and win by three - an incredible turnaround that left players, management and fans simply bewildered as the natives celebrated a victory that keeps their promotion hopes well and truly alive.

Honesty compels me to say that on the balance of play, Wicklow just about deserved their victory. The home side had five wides to one from Leitrim, Wicklow missed three goal opportunities (although to be fair Darren Maxwell made a superb save to prevent a certain goal in the first half) to two goal chances for Andy Moran's side - one brilliantly taken, one wasted at great cost.

Wicklow dropped about the same amount of chances short that Leitrim did so, based on that famed balance of play, Oisin McConville's side did just about enough to see themselves home.

Bumps on the long road

THE LAST POINT

Would they have won had Jack Heslin and Keith Beirne  converted a glorious goal chance early in the second half or had referee Sean Laverty from Antrim issued a second yellow card to Mark Kenny that even the Wicklow folk in the pressbox felt was more than justified? We'll never know is the simple answer but odds are that Leitrim would have kicked on with a man advantage and the boost of a second goal. 

But perhaps Andy Moran is right to dismiss talk of bad luck or bad decisions and simply acknowledge that Leitrim didn't do enough on the day. Wicklow did launch a barrage in the final ten minutes but all throughout the game, their physical, hard running approach upset Leitrim.

Wicklow's talisman Dean Healy literally carried the fight to Leitrim on his shoulders, bursting through challenges on lung bursting runs and he wasn't alone in that. Keith Beirne scored 1-4 yet there isn't a Leitrim fan  in Aughrim who didn't acknowledge the fantastic job Malachy Stone did in nullifying the immense threat posed by the Mohill man. I wondered in this very column last week what might happen if Beirne was held - well last Sunday we got our answer!

Promotion isn't gone yet but Leitrim's hopes rely on Laois, Sligo and Wicklow dropping points. Whatever the permutations, one simple fact remains - if Leitrim do not beat Laois the next day out, Division 4 will be Leitrim's home in 2024 and that is pretty stark.

No fan I talked to after Sunday saw a way back for Andy Moran's side and that is alarming.  Moran and his players will lift themselves for Laois, I have no doubt about that - they wouldn't play football at a high level without an inner belief and self confidence that drives them to surmount seemingly impossible odds but Laois will know a Leitrim backlash is coming and they'll be ready for it.

Truth be told, it was a long and disappointing  journey home on Sunday, even with the sight of Leitrim ladies executing their game plan to perfection to keep their League hopes alive lifted some  of the gloom of the men's defeat. Jonny Garrity's side were driven and played with an intensity that Wicklow couldn't match - three yellow cards for the home side helped Leitrim's cause, it might have been a tighter match without them but to be honest, Leitrim looked a far better team.

Maybe the men's team could take a leaf from the Ladies book as they have revolutionised their attacking focus this year -  Michelle Guckian was the entire NFL's top scorer last year but under their new manager, the ladies have spread the scoring burden around. Guckian is still, without doubt, the most influential player on the Leitrim team but opponents now know  that if they somehow nullify the threat of the Kiltubrid clubwoman, they still have to deal with Ailbhe Clancy, Vivienne Egan, Laura O'Dowd, Leah Fox and Elise Bruen and that, frankly, is  brilliant.

When sport becomes entertainment

Yet I still left the Ladies game more than a little deflated - not because of their performance but rather that so many Leitrim folk who made the long journey to witness the men's team in action didn't stay around for at least half an hour to cheer on the Ladies in their quest for League glory.

The Ladies players can't but have noticed the throng of Leitrim cars and buses heading for the exit before the ball was even thrown in and that must have been incredibly demoralising.  I know you can't make people support a team or a sport, it is personal choice after all but it illustrates the challenge the Ladies game faces in engaging with the public at large. 

These women were wearing Leitrim colours and deserved a little bit more respect and support from the county's supporters than they got last Sunday. Bravo to the fans who did stay on and congratulations to Leitrim Ladies on reaching the semi-finals.