Leitrim GAA are delighted to announce the appointment tonight of Karl Foley as the U17 Minor team Manager for 2023. Karl who lives in and is a native of Kilmore has huge coaching and managerial experience. Karl is a very experienced coach and manager, with spells at Clan na Gael, Carrickedmond, Kilmore, Shannon Gaels and in Leitrim with Leitrim Gaels and Annaduff. Karl also bring vast experience at the Minor Inter County age-group having managed and coached Roscommon Minors for 5 years and winning a Connacht title in that period. We would like to wish Karl the very best of luck in the role and look forward to announcing the remaining members of his backroom team very soon.
Leitrim completed their Fr Manning Cup campaign with a hard fought win over Wicklow in Abbotstown on a score 3- 5 to 1- 9 on Saturday 13th August.



Leitrim GAA Management Committee at its meeting tonight decided that it would be recommending to its July County Committee meeting that Andy Moran’s current two-year term as Leitrim GAA Senior Football Team Manager would be extended to include the next two seasons that is 2023 and 2024.
We are delighted to announce that Andy Moran has accepted the terms of this recommendation, subject to its acceptance at the County Committee meeting, and we look forward to the continued progress of the Leitrim Senior Footballers over the next two years.
Leitrim GAA is very disappointed to announce that Minor Football Manager Adrian Dockery has decided to step away from the role, following the conclusion of this year’s Connacht Minor Football Championship. The Roscommon native has been in charge of the county’s fortunes at this level over the past two seasons but has decided to relinquish the role, primarily due to an increased workload in his professional capacity.
Taking on the role of County Minor Manager in January 2021, in the midst of a nationwide Covid Lockdown was an arduous task for Adrian and his Management team and it wasn’t until late April that they could meet their prospective charges in person. Despite this, he and his coaching staff successfully moulded a team together to be very competitive in the 2021 Connacht MFC v Sligo in late July, which was played on a knock-out basis. Ultimately, Sligo went on to claim the title.
This season in which, thankfully, normality resumed, Adrian and his backroom team put together a squad of players that was one of the more competitive Minor Squads in recent times, resulting in performances that yielded a late draw with Roscommon and a first Connacht MFC victory over current All-Ireland Minor Semi-Finalists Galway, the first victory at this level over the Tribesmen since 1998. The campaign ended with a Shield Final loss to Roscommon on June 3.
Adrian has been a model of professionalism in his role as Leitrim Minor Manager and we thank him for taking on the role, first and foremost, and also for the attention to detail and marked improvement in performance level that he has been responsible for bringing to this group of players. He assembled an excellent backroom team to assist him in his role and Leitrim GAA wishes to acknowledge the significant contributions made by the following over the past two seasons:
In tendering his resignation, Adrian went on to state: “I wish to express my gratitude for having been given the opportunity to manage the Leitrim Under 17 team for the last two seasons. It was an absolute privilege & a fantastic experience. I would like to thank our backroom team, Coaching & Games Staff, and Leitrim GAA County Board. Their work and support, often unseen, were enormously appreciated. Above all, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the players & their families for their commitment & efforts this past two years. I hope this outstanding group of young men enjoyed the experience and will continue to represent themselves, their families, clubs & county with distinction in the future. Thank you all.”
Leitrim GAA wishes Adrian and the members of his backroom team the very best of luck in his future endeavours.
Leitrim 6-9 Longford 2-8
Leitrim U-16s advanced to the Fr. Manning Cup Semi Final with a comfortable victory over Longford on Saturday last at the Leitrim Centre of Excellence. Playing against a gale force breeze in the first half, Leitrim started the game in dramatic fashion with Paul Honeyman finishing a great Leitrim move to the net inside 3 minutes. It could have been so much better for Leitrim as an earlier goal chance went a begging after some great build up play carved the Longford defence open. Indeed, this was to be a recurring feature of the game and something that will undoubtedly need addressing going forward as Leitrim continually created chances throughout the game without capitalising. By the 11th minute Leitrim had added a further goal from Fionn Curley and 2 points from Josh Maye and a Paul Honeyman free. Longford eventually got on the scoreboard with a free kick and this was followed with 2 points from play to reduce the gap to 5 points. Dara Greenan then got the score of the game when after claiming a kickout with a fine catch, he proceeded to carry the ball 60 yards through the heart of Longford defence and finish expertly to the roof of the net to restore Leitrim’s 8 point lead. Josh Maye added a further point for Leitrim and this score was sandwiched between 2 Longford points to leave the half time score Leitrim 3-3 Longford 0-5.
Longford started the 2nd half in much better fashion adding a goal and a point inside the first 4 minutes. Leitrim responded themselves with a well taken Senan Mooney goal and points from Brian Keaney and Paul Honeyman but Longford added another goal and 2 points of their own which proved to be their last scores in the match on 10 minutes. Leading by 3 points, Leitrim completely dominated the rest of the game adding a further 2-4 to their tally with the scores coming from Paul Honeyman (2-2), Josh Maye and sub Cian Reynolds (0-1 apiece). As Leitrim emptied their bench, the chances kept coming their way without much threat to their own defence. Throughout the game, Leitrim created numerous chances but had 15 wides and will want to improve on their accuracy going into the remainder of their season. All in all it was a satisfactory outcome for Leitrim as their intensity and general play was very good. They can now look forward to a Fr. Manning Cup semi-final on July 23rd with as yet unknown opposition.
LEITRIM: Darragh Lee, Aaron Gardiner, Darragh Gardiner, Eanna McNamara, Dessie Wisley, Colm McLoughlin, Josh McNamee, Dara Greenan (1-0), James Gilheaney, Fionn Curley (1-0), Josh McNamee (0-3), Brian Keaney (0-1), Noah McNulty, Paul Honeyman (3-4), Senan Mooney (1-0). Subs: Liam Crowe, James Shanley, Frank Cullen, Adam Reynolds, Cian Reynolds (0-1), Cathal McCarthy, Tommy Reen, David Liu Doyle.
HUMPHREY KELLIHER CUP
Leitrim 4-11 Longford 3-7
Leitrim U15s completed a double for the county’s underage squads on Saturday when they accounted for a game Longford team on Saturday at the Leitrim Centre of Excellence. Also playing against the stiff breeze in the 1st half, Leitrim started very well and probably shaded the contest in that first half despite trailing narrowly at half time. The second half saw Leitrim come flying out of the blocks and quickly gained an advantage that they never surrendered. This was an impressive all round display from the U15s who got back to winning ways after 2 narrow defeats earlier in the competition. They now progress to the Shield semi finals of this competition which will also be held on July 23rd.
LEITRIM: Daire Shannon, Aodh Gavin, Oran Foley, Killian Mulvey, Niall Torsney, Niall Stenson, Cormac Moran, Luke Fitzsimons, Bailey McBride, Peter Moran, Sean Carolan Morris, Cillian Downes, Senan Bohan, Andrew Lee, Ruairi O’Rourke. Subs: Josh Sheridan, Gavin Gallagher, Joey McBrien, Mark Ahearne, Jack Kelly, Oisin Conlon
Note: The next outing for both these squads will be at the Connacht Centre of Excellence in Bekan for their respective Connacht Blitz days on 9th July.
Tickets for the Tailteann Cup Quarter Final Leitrim versus Sligo on Sunday 5th June Must be purchaced in advance.
Adult €20
Students/OAP’s €15
Under 16’s €5
Tickets Available Online At https://am.ticketmaster.com/gaa/leitrimsligotc or in selected Centra and SuperValu Stores.
40 Years Ago This Year Leitrim Went To London For the First Time.
It was a very nervous Leitrim team that went to play London almost forty years ago on the 23rd May 1982. Leitrim had reason to be nervous as in 1977 London caused a sensation by beating Leitrim in 1977 in Carrick on Shannon by 0-9 to 0-6. 1982 was the first time Leitrim played in the Connacht Championship outside Ireland and made a piece of history. Leitrim had prepared well this time. The Dublin based players trained at UCD with the Dublin based Kerry players under the watchful eye of the Master, Micheal O Muircheartaigh. The Leitrim team were flying.
Forty years ago it was a novelty flying to any match. The travel arrangements were published in the Leitrim Observer. The Leitrim panel departed Dublin Airport at 11.15 am on Saturday morning and were met at Heathrow Airport by members of the Leitrim Peoples Association and members of the London County Board. From the airport we travelled to Ruislip for a light training session followed by a lunch organised by the London Board. After the lunch the team travelled to their hotel, the Tara Hotel , where the team would relax and watch television. There was great excitement in the lobby when Jimmy White the well known snooker player appeared and signed a few autographs for Leitrim people on the back of Carrolls cigarette boxes. On Sunday the team left the hotel at 1.00pm for Ruislip . After the match the team were the guests of honour at a function jointly organised by the Leitrim Peoples Association and the London Co Board in the Irish Centre in Camden town.
At the time Big Tom was the King of Country Music in Ireland. On the Saturday evening some of the music heads in the team went to a concert by the other King, BB King. They just got back in time for the roll call .
Before we left the TARA HOTEL for the match we posed for a photo taken by Willie Donnellan. We were joined in the photo by Tony Ward the former rugby star who played with Munster Leinster Ireland and the British Irish Lions and was also European Rugby player of the year in 1979. Tony was over in London for the FA Cup Final. Leitrim were moving up in the sporting world.
On match day the teams paraded around the pitch led by London Irish Girls Pipers Band. A member of that band had big Leitrim connections, Susan McGarty ,daughter of Willie McGarty and niece of Packie Mc Garty. Susan moved to Leitrim many years ago and now lives in Mohill. The Leitrim team showed one change from the match programme. Tom Reilly (Glenfarne) picked up an injury and Pat Flynn (Gortletteragh) replaced him at left corner back. Michael Oates in the Observer stated, Sean Creamer and Gerry Logan qualify for the joint title of ‘surprise omissions’. It was an exceptional Leitrim team built on the U-21 success of 1977 and included five players who were selected on the Leitrim team of the Millennium, Noel Crossan, Mickey Quinn, Ollie Honeyman, Mickey Martin and Frank Holohan. The team were good enough to win a Connacht Championship, it was a great shame that they didn’t.
The attendance was 3,000 and the match report stated ‘Leitrim overcame the feeble challenge of an outclassed London side. The final score was Leitrim 1-13 London 0-5 .Frank Smith was the pick of the Leitrim attack with five points all from play. Mickey Martin showed his class with a polished performance at centre half forward. He was the games outstanding player and hardly put a foot wrong the whole afternoon. Leitrim’s goal was scored by Seamus Mulhern’.
The Leitrim team celebrated well into Sunday night and a few lads just about made the plane home on Monday.
Leitrim played Mayo next on 13th June in Carrick on Shannon without their top scorer Frank Smith(injured) and lost on a score-line of 2-7 to 1-7. Losing by three points after shooting 20 wides (Mayo had eight) the Irish Press headline was’ Leitrim footballers literally kicked Mayo into the Connacht final by their own inability to put the ball between the posts’.
The Leitrim team of the 80’s was the springboard for setting up the Leitrim Supporters Club to help finance the preparations of county teams and the Supporters Club is still going strong.
Forty years later Leitrim go to play London next Sunday. London beat Leitrim in this years National Football League. London are a lot better organised than all those years ago but Leitrim should be good enough to win and qualify to play either Mayo or Galway in the next round. Should Leitrim win and Mayo beat Galway then history will be repeated and Leitrim will take on Mayo again as they did almost 40 years ago.
Eamonn Duignan
On Sunday 27th March 2022 Emlyn Mulligan made his 100th Appearance for Leitrim in Markievicz Park versus Sligo. He made his senior debut for Leitrim versus neighbours Donegal in 2006 and between league and championship in those 16 years he has clocked up 100 appearances. Pictured below is Leitrim’s Captain David Bruen and Vice Captain Donal Wrynn together with the current squad and management presenting Emlyn with a framed signed Leitrim Jersey as a momentum of this wonderful achievement.
LEITRIM 4-12 CLARE 2-8
The 2022 Connacht SFC commences on Sunday, April 17, in Ruislip as Leitrim and London battle go head to head for a place in the Connacht SFC semi-final. The match ticket details have been published and are as follows:
Stand Tickets €30
Terrace Tickets €25
Student/OAP rates are the same as for Adults
Juveniles Under 16 are free of charge on the terrace only. Juveniles in the stand must have a ticket and pay the adult rate.
Tickets may be purchased here
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The Late Dessie Kieran, Main Street, Ballinamore, Co Leitrim.10th January 2023 - 3:55 pm
CLDP Upcoming Induction Events3rd January 2023 - 1:36 pm
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Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada
Carrick-on-Shannon
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071-9620441
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