Garrity expecting tough battle as Leitrim Ladies put title on the line against Roscommon

He may be new to the Leitrim Roscommon rivalry but Jonny Garrity is well aware of what next Sunday’s TG4 Connacht LGFA Intermediate Final in Kiltoom (1pm throw-in) means to both counties as the Green & Gold seek a rare three-in-a-row of provincial titles.

“We know it is going to be a tough assignment,” said Jonny when speaking to the Observer, “I’m pretty much aware of the last few years and there is never very much between the teams. We actually played a preseason friendly as well and there was nothing in that as well. I think they are two teams that go out and are well matched and they defy their League placings. 

“We’re hoping that will be the case again next Sunday, we hope that it is going to be a match that we’ll be in it right to the end and if it is, we’ll be difficult to beat.”

Leitrim Ladies Connacht Intermediate Final against Roscommon set for online coverage

Sunday represents Leitrim’s second chance to lift silverware this year and whatever about the All-Ireland campaign to come, the focus is very much on next Sunday: “We’re going into the final and we feel as if we’ve earned it, that we’re there and back on track after losing the Division 4 Final so we’re looking forward to it. 

“Within a season, you have three opportunities to win silverware so each one is important in itself - Sunday is the next one so it is the most important one right now. We will put all our attention and full attention onto the All-Ireland after Sunday is over but for now, we’re 100% invested in trying to win this Connacht title and trying to retain it.”

Leitrim did score a comfortable win over Sligo just a week and a half ago but even the Leitrim manager admits it wasn’t his team’s toughest test: “There wasn’t a great deal of requirement to win it given that we were going to qualify anyway but we approached that match like it was a fully fledged championship match and we were delighted to get the performance that we did.”

Overcoming the disappointment of the League Final wasn’t easy but the first steps were taken at the first session after losing to Antrim - admitting that the defeat will take a lot to get over, Jonny is enthused by the reaction of the Leitrim players: “It definitely hurt but to be honest, the first training session after the League Final was really positive.

“It gave me a lot of heart and motivation because the girls were determined to put the thing right. They showed an accountability in that they didn’t implement the kind of performance we wanted to put in tactically. Their reaction to that was a really good spell of training and a fantastic performance the next day out against Sligo. 

“The training has been going very well since then and put us in a position to go and put in the kind of performance that we want to put in. The League is gone, it is out of our minds - we’re very much looking forward now and I’ve been delighted with the girls’ response.”

Yet that Sligo game also served a purpose of giving players a chance to stake a claim for a starting place next Sunday: “A lot of girls were given game time against Sligo have taken it straight to heart. Sometimes you give girls chances but sometimes they perform in a way that will make your life easier by not taking their chance. 

“But by and large, the girls that have been given a chance have made my life more difficult in that there is lots of players putting their hands up and working extremely hard at training. Of course, there will be disappointment again but we’ve worked extremely hard on the culture that we’re trying to create.

“I’m sure that whoever is asked to finish the game or give us a big boost towards the end of the game and, hopefully, that will get us over the line. Loads of decisions to make but in the best way possible.”

Yet another fixture clash as Leitrim's Antrim Tailteann Cup game fixed for exact same time as Ladies TG4 Connacht Intermediate Final

One possible worry is the availability of Lidl LGFA Division 4 Team of the Year member Charlene Tyrell who injured a finger in a club game but Jonny will wait until the last moment before making a decision: “Charlene has a fantastic League campaign and we’ll give her every opportunity to be fit before we rule her out. That would be a great boost if she is available and we’ll see how she trains this week.”

The only sour note for those involved with the Ladies game is the clash of fixtures with the Men’s Tailteann Cup game against Antrim and while Jonny admits it is disappointing, the Leitrim manager won’t be expending any energy on the situation: “It is not very good for supporters and they’re the ones that I feel sorry for because they’re the ones that have to choose which game to go and that is completely unfair. 

“But from my point of view as a manager, if I was to complain every time the girls were treated less fairly than they should be, then I would be constantly complaining but my focus isn’t on that, it is ensuring the big performance we are aiming to get.”