Familiar foes search for glory in intriguing Gotham Dry Wall LGFA Senior B Final

Ending a run of heartbreaks in finals or  the emergence of a possible new force in Ladies football in the county? Sunday's Gotham Dry Wall LGFA Senior B Final between Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins and St Mary's Kiltoghert in Pairc Cil Tiobraid (3 pm throw in) offers some intriguing storylines and potentially a classic final between two evenly matched sides.

Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins must think they have run over ten black cards or broken 100 mirrors as they have contested four major finals since their emergence as a power in the Leitrim scene back in 2020 only to suffer heartbreak in all of those deciders. A powerful Glencar Manorhamilton, who won a Connacht Intermediate title and reached a Senior Club Final, ended their dreams in 2020 while they lost out to an experienced St Joseph's a year later.

However, last year was cruel beyond compare as they lost to eventual Connacht Intermediate Club finalists Kiltubrid by just a point in the Senior B Final and just a week later lost out to Glencar Manorhamilton in a heartbreaking series of results. Now they get the chance to end that sequence of results but they're coming up against a St Mary's Kiltoghert side who are potentially a rising force in the Ladies game in the county, winning last year's Intermediate crown and pushing eventual All Ireland champions Salthill all the way in Connacht.

Luck and guts see St Mary's home past Ballinamore

ST MARY'S KILTOGHERT 4-9 BALLINAMORE SEAN O'HESLINS 1-12

The two sides have history this year with late goals a crucial theme in two St Mary's wins over O'Heslins. A 2-13 to 0-12 win in the League was followed by a remarkable 4-9 to 1-12 in the group stages of the championship.

Ballinamore will take heart from a game that they dominated for long periods but St Mary's, feeling that they didn't perform at all, will take a lot of solace from their ability to strike for goals. That two of them had a large slice of luck is irrelevant at this stage - it adds to the intrigue over the game.

Ballinamore will feel they are under pressure to put St Mary's away early on while St Mary's will be conscious of the need to spread their effort better over the hour.

County players are key to their team's hopes - Laura O'Dowd, Mollie Murphy, Megan McGovern & Roisin McHugh have all played big roles for the county team while St Mary's quartet Jasmine Maye, Kasey & Elise Bruen and Sarah Reynolds were all starters in 2023.

Much will depend on who negates the  opposition's county stars but players like Aisling Leahy, Lorraine Butler, Emma McGovern, Grainne Prior, Abbi Sweeney, Sarah McLoughlin & Enya McWeeney are all capable of big moments that might decide this contest.

If they fix their accuracy issues, Ballinamore have the potential to run away with this one but if St Mary's keep it tight, they know they have the ability to strike for goals and that could prove crucial.

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There is also a fierce rivalry between these teams and Ballinamore were the only team to take points from Glencar Manorhamilton in the group stages this year, illustrating the potential in their ranks.

Ballinamore start as slight favourites - St Mary's are improving hugely with every year but O'Heslins experience, as tough as it has been in the past few years, may yet prove crucial.