Archive for category: County Football

BATTLING PERFORMANCE SEES UNDER 15s INTO FINAL

Leitrim 4-14  Cork West 2-11

Leitrim qualified for the Humphrey Kelliher Cup Final for the 2nd time in 3 years at a windy Kilcock GAA on Saturday last.  After holding off a 2nd half rally from their Cork West counterparts, Leitrim Under 15s finished the game off with a resilient performance for the last 15 minutes. In the 2nd period, the game appeared to be slipping away after Leitrim had built up a comfortable half time cushion.

Playing with the aid of a slight breeze in the 1st half, Leitrim started game brightly and were dominant in most areas of the field. Early points from Bruce O’Hagan, Luke Maguire and Nathan O’Donnell were complemented by a well taken Alex Kilrane goal to give Leitrim a 3 point lead by the end of the 1st quarter. Leitrim were completely dominant for the rest of the half with points from O’Hagan, Kilrane, Jacob McTeague and 2 from Colm McLoughlin with just a solitary reply from Cork West. In this period, Leitrim created a number of gilt edged opportunities only to squander the chance to put some distance between the teams. The half time score read Leitrim 1-8 Cork West 0-4.

The boys from the Rebel County stormed into the 2nd half as the wind picked up. By the 7th minute, Cork had wiped out Leitrim’s advantage scoring 1-4 without reply to leave the scores level. Leitrim had a goal dubiously ruled out but they continued to press and both teams exchanged points with Bobby Phelan and Senan Lee contributing to the Leitrim total. This left the score at 1-10 apiece after 12 minutes. Leitrim were given the opportunity to push ahead when they were awarded a penalty. However, a brilliant save by the Cork goalie was compounded as they broke up the field to get a goal of their own and Leitrim were now in arrears by 2-10 to 1-10 as they entered the final quarter.

The last 15 minutes was a frenzied affair as Leitrim scrambled a goal through sub James Faughnan and minutes later, they were awarded a 2nd penalty which was again saved brilliantly by the Cork keeper. Hugo Farrell reacted quickest and in the ensuing scramble, he pointed to put Leitrim back in front again. As the game ebbed and flowed, there was some excellent defending by Leitrim as Cork attacks were blocked and turnovers were the foundation for 3 further points by Bobby Phelan, Kevin Gallogly and Ruairi Mulvey to give Leitrim a 4 point cushion. Cork responded with a point of their own to reduce the gap to a one score game. Kevin Gallogly finished a great move to the Cork net to open up a 6 point gap. As Cork pressed to reduce the deficit in the final moments, Leitrim put together a sweeping move from their full back line which culminated in James Faughnan rifling the ball past the excellent Cork keeper to leave Leitrim with a 9 point winning margin that never really felt that comfortable.

LEITRIM:
Tom McManus; Conor Reynolds; Daniel McLoughlin; Adam McCormack; Senan Lee (0-1); Colton Quinn; Luke Maguire (0-1); Bobby Phelan (0-2); Sean Davitt; Bruce O’Hagan (0-2); Jacob McTeague (0-1); Hugo Farrell (0-1); Nathan O’Donnell (0-1); Alex Kilrane (1-1); Colm McLoughlin (0-2). Subs: Ruairi Mulvey (0-1); James Faughnan (2-0); Liam Gray; Kevin Gallogly (1-1), Fergal Keegan, Diarmuid Prior; Ajay Faughnan; Rian McGuinness; David Carr; Alex Kondratowicz.

Following the draw for the Tailteann Cup Groupings Leitrim are designated as 3rd seed in Group 1 with Kildare, Sligo & Tipperary.

• So in round 1 on weekend of 10/11 May we will be away to Kildare.
• The 2nd round will be home to Sligo on weekend of 17/18 May
• In round 3 on weekend of 31 May/1 June the fixture will be at a neutral venue & we will play Tipperary.

The top team in each group will advance to the quarter-finals on w/e June 14th-15th (Saturday/Sunday)

The second placed teams advance to the preliminary quarter-finals where they will be drawn against New York and the three best placed teams who finish third in their group on w/e June 7th-8th (Saturday/Sunday)

Semi-Finals:  w/e June 21st-22nd (Saturday/Sunday)

Tailteann Cup Final:  July 12th (Saturday)

*Full fixture details will be confirmed by the C.C.C.C in due course.

The drawn Groups are as follows: