A weaker than expected Leitrim team take on neighbours Fermanagh in a unique Connacht Junior Championship First Round clash next Friday evening, May 1, in Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada hoping to spark another run to a Connacht Final.

Last years Junior side were desperately unlucky not to win the Connacht Junior Final against Roscommon and the expectations were that this years side would feature many of the expanded Leitrim Senior panel brought in by Mickey Moran and John Morrison.

However, Junior team Manager and Senior selector Martin McGowan admits that next Fridays team will not feature all those eligible to play for the Countys second string side as the proximity of the May 31, clash with Roscommon is taking precedence.

"We have 20 players on this years panel who are eligible for the Junior team as they didnt play Senior Championship last year. But with the proximity of the RoscommonÓgame, we dont want to risk injury for any of the lads," Martin revealed.

"We will have seven or eight guys from the squad. There are guys like Paddy McGowan who is eligible to play but Paddy is involved with Dromahair and the Celebrity Bainisteoir Final the following week so it would be very unfair to him to ask him to play on Friday."

Among those who are eligible but are likely to miss out on Friday are Tomas Beirne, Ray Cox, DeclanÓgilhooley, St. Marys James Glancy, Shane Canning, Colm Clarke, BrendanÓgallagher, James Holohan & Daniel Beck – all of whom have seen action in the National League this year.

However, Martin reveals that Leitrim will still have a strong team out on Friday against Fermanagh – "We havent picked the squad yet but I think we may have David Flynn, Liam Ferguson, Bornacoolas John McGuinness, Sean McGourty, Philip Farrelly and Darren Sweeney and maybe Damien ODonnell from the Senior training squad.

"Mohills Ciaran Kennedy, John McGuinness and RonanÓgallagher will be involved while Mark Creegan from Cloone, Emmett Mahon and Dara McKiernan from Kiltubrid and St. Marys Anthony Conway will be coming in. Sean Murray from Ballinamore might also be coming in.

"There is a lot of experience among the players who have lined out at every level for Leitrim. But it is hard to know exactly where we stand. We have had a couple of challenge games and there is a good squad of players there now."

As for Fermanagh, Martin is somewhat in the dark about the challenge of the Ernemen – "We dont know a lot about Fermanagh and well just have to take their challenge at face value. Im sure theyll be well prepared like all northern teams, move the ball fast and will be tough opposition.

"There is no Ulster Junior Championship so Cavan played in Leinster last year while Fermanagh got permission to play in Connacht this year.

"There is always an expectation to do well in the Junior after we reached the All-Ireland Final in 2004 but well just get on with the game, take it as it comes and just see how it goes," concluded Martin.

The winners of the game will face Mayo in a Connacht Semi-Final on Friday, May 15, with the Final being held as the curtain raiser for the Leitrim and RoscommonÓgame on May 31, in Carrick-on-Shannon.

 

 

 

This full report is available thanks to the Leitrim Observer
– its available in this weeks edition of the Observer and online here

 

 

 

 

 

29-Apr-09 by LeitrimObserver.ie

Following a scan this morning Leitrim GAA can confirm that Emlyn Mulligan has a full cruciate tear that will rule him out of club and county action for 2009. Emlyns knee injury was originally feared to be a partial tear which he received in the 3rd round of the Division 1 league against Annaduff last Saturday week.

The scan this morning was expected to lead to immediate surgery to repair the suspected partial tear but the scans confirmation of a complete tear means that an operation is futile for some weeks and it will take the rest of the year for a full recovery.

Melvin Gaels performance in the league will be compounded by this news as Emlyn is a prolific scorer for his club as well as his county. The clubs campaign in the ‘Group of Death in the senior championship is not made easier with his absence.

The preparations for the County team for the RoscommonÓgame will also suffer as Emlyn is a key member of the panel and his Scóring record in recent times speaks for itself when you consider that he was the 2nd highest scorer in the Connacht Championship last year.

 

 

15-Apr-09 by Brendan Doyle – PRO

Leitrim survived a determined Clare comeback at Carrick-on-Shannon, where Leitrims Ray Cox and Gary McCloskey and Clares David Russell were dismissed for yellow-card offences in the first half.

 Leitrim 2-9 Clare 1-9

A strong opening quarter earned Leitrim a one-goal victory over Clare at Carrick-on-Shannon this afternoon.

A Colm Clarke goal saw the hosts take a 1-5 to 0-3 lead at the end of the first quarter and although Leitrim edged into an eight-point interval lead, Clare bounced back on the restart.

Both sides scored two points each inside 11 minutes of the restart with Dermot Reynolds and James Glancy on target for the hosts.

Timmy Ryan and Michael OShea took scores from play for Clare to leave the score at 2-7 to 0-5.

Declan Maxwell edged Leitrim nine points clear but Clare ralled with a Gary BrennanÓgoal and a second Ryan point to cut the gap at 2-8 to 1-6 by the 50th minute

Clare continued to eat into Leitrims advantage and although the hosts only scored one point in the closing quarter, Mickey Morans side stood firm to take a three-point win.

 

scorers —

Leitrim: J Glancy 0-5 (0-4f.) C Clarke 1-1, S Canning 1-0, R Cox, D Reynolds, D Maxwell 0-1 each.

Clare: G Brennan 1-2, E Coughlan, T Ryan 0-2 each, F ODea, M OShea, D Tubridy 0-1 each.

 

Leitrim — nÓgill; M McGuinness, P Gilmartin, D Flynn; B McWeeney, J McKeon, J Glancy; G McCloskey, S Canning; D Reynolds, C Clarke, B Gallagher; R Cox, T Beirne, J Glancy.

Subs: J Holohan for Cox (y/c 15), D Maxwell for McCloskey (y/c 27), S Foley for Gilmartin (45), G Reynolds for Glancy (45), D Beck for Flynn (59).

Clare — J Hayes; M McMahon, K Dilleen, D Ryan; N Considine, G Kelly, G Kelly; F ODea, D Russell; G Brennan, E Coughlan, S Collins; M OShea, T Ryan, D Tubridy.

Subs: C OConnor for Russell (y/c 25), L Markham for ODea (ht), T Madigan for Considine (49), L Healy for OConnor (65).

Ref — D Corcoran (Mayo)

– Leitrim 2–9 Clare 1–9

 

 

13-Apr-09 by

The Leitrim Senior football team play their final National League game this weekend against Clare in Páirc Seán.  Last weekends club action took its toll on the panel as 9 players came back injured.  The most serious of which is Emlyn Mulligan who is not likely to recover in time for the big Connacht Championship clash against Roscommon on May 31st due to a severe knee injury.  It is expected that he will require surgery in the coming week.   The team and panel for Sunday is as follows:

(Note that subs numbered 17-24 listed alphabetically by first name):

 

 

1 Noel Gill
2 Michael McGuinness
3 Pat Gilmartin
4 David Flynn
5 Barry McWeeney
6 John McKeon
7 James Glancy
8 Gary McCloskey
9 Shane Canning
10 Dermot Reynolds
11 Colm Clarke
12 BrendanÓgallagher
13 Ray Cox
14 Tomas Beirne

15

 

James Glancy

 

16 Enda Lyons
17 Damien ODonnell
18 Daniel Beck
19 Darren Duignan
20 Declan Maxwell
21 Gary Reynolds
22 James Holahan
23 Noel Doonan
24 Shane Foley

 

 

 

 

 

 

10-Apr-09 by Brendan Doyle – PRO