St Mary's were that bit cuter than us says Glenfarne Kiltyclogher manager Tom O'Reilly

When the margins are as fine as a winning point four minutes into added time, defeat can be hard to take but Glenfarne Kiltyclogher manager Tom O’Reilly praises Vistamed Junior A champions St Mary’s Kiltoghert for their playing smarts in winning the title.

Brian McKenna’s injury time winner edged St Mary’s to the victory and Tom, a former chairman of the Cavan County Board, felt the game was one to savour: “It is tough, we were in it up to the end, it was a good game of football, a great game of football actually. It was close, it was clean.

“Mary’s were a small bit smarter than us, a bit cuter and in the end, that’s what won it. I would question the last free but the game is over but Carrick, after coming from three down, they had the momentum going into the last 15 minutes and that made all the difference.”

St Mary's break Glenfarne Kilty hearts as huge crowd enjoys tight Vistamed Junior A Final - GALLERY

St Mary’s Kiltoghert were celebrating in Drumkeerin on Saturday evening as their second string team dashed the hopes of Glenfarne Kiltyclogher to win the 2023 Vistamed Leitrim Junior A Championship title on a 0-11 to 0-10 scoreline. Observer photographer Willie Donnellan was there with his camera to capture pics of the celebrations and the big crowd who thronged into Pairc Naomh Brid ….. see who you can spot!

Tom was immensely proud of the effort the Glenfarne Kiltyclogher players produced on the day: “I’m proud of the lads, we’re representing Leitrim now in the Connacht Championship, it’ll be hard to motivate them now because we were so close but St Mary’s know what it is like to lose too and it was a good game of football and that is what it is all about.”

Picking themselves up won’t be easy but reaching the Junior Final energised the entire club but Tom hopes Glenfarne Kiltyclogher can make an impact at provincial level: “It was a great week for the club and I hope that we can go on a bit further with it. 

“As I said, we’re in Connacht, it is going to be hard to lift them again because we thought we were in with a great chance and to be fair, one point in it in the end but Carrick came out with the win.”