Wary Leitrim take nothing for granted against Roscommon

​On the face of it, Leitrim start next Sunday’s TG4 LGFA All-Ireland Intermediate Championship Quarter Final against Roscommon as the hottest of favourites but there is an understandable wariness within the Green & Gold camp ahead of what many expect to be a straightforward tie.

​The manner of Leitrim’s 4-18 to 0-8 victory over Roscommon in the Connacht Final means that the Provincial champions start the game as strong favourites but there is a growing belief that Finbar Egan’s side have turned a corner, particularly after their performances in the group stages of the All-Ireland series.

The return of Laura Mannion added greatly to their forward power, an area in which they struggled against Leitrim’s suffocating defence in May, and while Egan started 12 of the team that went down to defeat against Jonny Garrity’s side in their victory over Cavan, there are quite a few positional switches.

Ria & Roise Lennon have also come into the side while Roscommon look to have a stronger impact off their bench as they only lost narrowly to a Cavan side who have been promoted to Division 1 for next season.

Interestingly, in speaking to the Roscommon Herald after their win over Down, Egan referenced the Connacht Final defeat to Leitrim, long before he knew they would be facing the Green & Gold in the quarter-finals: “The girls finally got what they deserved. They’ve put in an awful lot of hard work. Leitrim in Carrick was a disaster, but we went up to Cavan and played well. Maybe we lacked a bit of belief, but we showed today that we have worked exceptionally hard.

GARRITY LOOKS FORWARD TO REMATCH WITH ROSCOMMON

“The result in Carrick was such a surprise to us because we had been working hard, and we’ve worked hard since. We had 19 girls involved today and every one of them played their part. They didn’t weaken the team. We don’t know who we’ll get in a quarter-final, but we’ve a few more girls to come back too.”

Roscommon’s resurgence, albeit from a low point in the Connacht Final, will have Leitrim wary but confident at the same time – since that game, Leitrim have suffered their own loss with Jasmine Maye and Dearbhla Rooney unavailable and Ailbhe Clancy still battling injury but the strength in depth of the Leitrim squad means they have continued to roll on impressively.

One danger is the possibility of complacency but from the way Garrity and his squad is talking, that is unlikely to be an issue. Sunday’s game is more likely to be similar to previous Leitrim Roscommon clashes, a lot closer than this year’s Connacht Final, but you’ve got to expect Leitrim’s scoring power to carry the day.

LEITRIM: Michelle Guckian (capt.); Dearbhaile Beirne, Charlene Tyrrell, Niamh Morahan; Rachel McIntyre, Lauren Devaney, Sarah Reynolds; Anna Devaney, Chloe Dolan; Aoife Gilmartin, Leah Fox, Vivienne Egan; Kate Gormley, Muireann Devaney, Laura O'Dowd

ROSCOMMON: Helena Cummins (capt.); Megan McKeon, Aine Connaughton, Aine McGrath; Ella Thompson, Ria Lennon, Ruth Cox; Ellen Irwin, Abby Curran; Niamh Feeney, Saoirse Wynne, Aisling Feely; Roise Lennon, Laura Mannion, Caoimhe Lennon