Goals do the trick in Fermanagh as Leitrim book home TG4 LGFA All-Ireland IFC Quarter-Final spot

A blistering start that yielded two goals within the first three minutes and further goals at crucial times was enough for Leitrim to see off a stubborn and deep challenge from a battling Fermanagh in the second round of the TG4 LGFA All-Ireland Intermediate Championship series at Ederney St Joseph’s on Sunday.

Leitrim’s eight point winning margin is somewhat misleading both in a positive and negative sense - Fermanagh never felt like they were eight points off the pace as they tested the Connacht champions to the limit and yet, in the same breadth, a bout of the attacking yips meant that a lot of Leitrim’s good work wasn’t rewarded on the scoreboard.

In many ways, the game showed the good and the bad of this superb Leitrim team - there is a tendency to drift out of the game at times when things are going well but when the going gets tough, they find a way to battle through and secure a home quarter final with some ease.

That resolve was tested when Anna Devaney was yellow carded by referee Anthony Marron of Monaghan at the end of the first half and again 17 minutes into the second, ending her game early. Instead of sinking the Green & Gold, they outscored the hosts 1-2 to two points in the first sin-bin period and by 1-5 to 0-3 for the rest of the game after the red card.

Cadhla Cara Bogue opened the scoring as she cut through after just 30 seconds to point but it was Leitrim who truly got the blistering start - a high Leah Fox shot broke in the area and Kate Gormley reacted quickest, pouncing on the loose ball and driving it to the net.

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From the kickout, Chloe Dolan won the breaking ball and played a one-two before pointing and barely had the cheers died down and Leitrim had the ball in the net again, Vivienne Egan’s cross evading the despairing hands of Fermanagh’s Ailsing Keenan, falling to Gormley who blasted to the net despite the keeper’s efforts to stop the short.

A foul on Gormley after six minutes allowed Devaney to point a free but Fermanagh were starting to settle, a clear three-up breach allowing Eimear Smyth to pop over a free. There was a moment of controversy when Fermanagh’s Caitriona Breen escaped a yellow for a flailing challenge on Chloe Dolan, Michelle Guckian putting the two point free wide.

Bogue pulled back a point on 13 minutes and two minutes later, quick Fermanagh thinking saw a quick free sent into Sarah Britton for an expertly finished shot to the net, reducing Leitrim’s lead to two points.

But Leitrim rallied again - two Gormley points followed in as many minutes, one from a poor kickout and the second set up by a blistering Dearbhaile Beirne run. But with bad wides from Devaney, Fox, Beirne and Aoife Gilmartin, Fermanagh started to close the gap with Smyth and Doonan adding points.

A high challenge from Anna Devaney saw a yellow brandished in her direction on 28 minutes with Smyth converting the free to leave the halftime score at 2-4 to 1-6 at the break and Fermanagh with a player advantage.

However, letirim had the perfect response - Vivienne Egan took off on a blistering run from the throw-in and set up Leah Fox for a brilliant low finish to the Fermanagh net. Wides were still a problem for Leitrim as Smyth tapped over a free but Sarah Reynolds made a huge block on Ciara McGarrigle and Joanne Doonan left a poor shot into Michelle Guckian.

A moved in free was tapped over by Muireann Devaney. Eimear Smyth pulled back a point from long range but Muireann Devaney got on the end of a good move with a fine point. Protests from the Fermanagh bench over a decision saw referee Marron issue a card and move the ball from the Leitrim half to the 21 yard line, Devaney adding another free.

Joanne Doonan kept four between the teams with a good point but the game seemed to take another twist when Anna Devaney was sent off on a second booking as a Fermanagh player charged through, Smyth converting the free to leave three between the teams and more than 12 minutes of normal time left.

But again, Leitrim struck with Leah Fox soloing through from 40 yards out before finding Muireann Devaney with a perceptive pass, the full-forward making a tricky finish look very easy and with that, you sensed that was it.

Leitrim now led by six points and despite Doonan pulling back a point, Fermanagh were struggling to break down a massed Leitrim defence. Leah Fox hit two points either side of a Guckian save from a Sinead Barrett shot and Smyth putting a free wide, sub Bronagh Smyth firing over on 27 minutes.

Fermanagh almost broke through for a goal but Niamh McManus’ effort was blocked and diverted out for a fifty while Barrett broke through ona goal but lifted her shot far too high over the crossbar to trouble the Leitrim keeper.

With Fermanagh running out of ideas, Leitrim were content to hit on the break with Muireann Devaney tapping over two frees and sub Siomha Quinn firing over after over five minutes of added time to complete an impressive Leitrim win.

LEITRIM

Scorers: Muireann Devaney 1-6, 5f; Kate Gormley 2-2; Leah Fox 1-2; Chloe Dolan & Siomha Quinn 0-1 each

Team: Michelle Guckian, Niamh Morahan, Charlene Tyrrell, Rachel McIntrye; Sarah Reynolds, Lauren Devaney, Dearbhaile Beirne; Chloe Dolan, Vivienne Egan, Aoife Gilmartin, Leah Fox, Anna Devaney, Laura O’Dowd; Muireann Devaney, Kate Gormley. Subs: Shaylyn Ward for Gormley (55); Niamh Tighe & Roisin Rooney for Egan & L Devaney (60); Siomha Quinn for Fox (62)

FERMANAGH

Scorers: Eimear Smyth 0-6, 3f; Joanne Doonan 0-3; Sarah Britton 1-0; Cadhla Cara Bogue 0-2; Sinead Barrett & Bronagh Smyth 0-1 each

Team: Aine Haren, Erica Douglas, Sarah McCarville, Shannan McQuade, Aisling Keenan, Cadhla Cara Bogue, Brenda Barron, Aine McCarney, Caitriona Breen, Sarah Britton, Niamh McManus, Sinead Barrett, Ciara McGarrigle, Eimear Smyth, Joanne Doonan. Subs: Seena Feeley for Breen (34); Bronagh Smyth for McGarrigle (49); Cliodhna Martin for McCarney (52); Ellie Carrigan for Britton (59)

Referee: Anthony Marron (Monaghan)