13 March 2005 ? Division 2a: Allianz NFL Round 4

Leitrim Fall in Carlow

Leitrim 0-16
Carlow 1-15

A first half goal for the home side in Dr Cullen Park Carlow on Sunday denied Leitrim the opportunity of moving into second place in Division 2A of the Allianz football league and dealt a serious blow to the county?s promotion hopes.

Leitrim went into this game enjoying their best form for some time having beaten a fancied Clare team and pushing All Ireland semi-finalists Fermanagh all the way, but a dreadful period in the minutes leading up to half time along with the concession of a very soft goal proved the visitors? undoing.

For once, the Leitrim problems were at the defensive end of the field and a very lively Carlow full forward line caused huge difficulties for John Mc Keon and co throughout ? the Leitrim men uncharacteristically conceding 10 points from play to the Carlow inside trio. Leitrim also struggled to find their feet in the middle of the field, particularly in the first half and while the forward line helped to accrue an impressive tally of sixteen points, they were left to rue two excellent goal Scóring opportunities in the first half and a disallowed effort in the second.

Leitrim had started brightly with James Glancy, Declan Maxwell and Johnny Goldrick causing problems for the Carlow defence as the Connacht team raced into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead. However, disaster struck when a long ball from a sideline kick was misjudged by the Leitrim defence and allowed to bounce in the Leitrim square, coming off the crossbar and into the hands of the waiting David Nolan who finished calmly to the net.

It was a goal of the cheapest variety and galvanised the home side who began to take a grip in the centre of the field and with a point from the ever dangerous Simon Rea moved into a 1-3 to 0-3 lead. Leitrim did react well and scores from Declan Maxwell, James Glancy and Michael Foley appeared to have weathered the storm. Indeed, Maxwell?s effort might well have ended in the Carlow net but for an excellent save from John Brennan after the Drumreilly man had brilliantly fielded a high ball and turned the Carlow full back.

With only five minutes to go to the break the sides were level but Leitrim were about to experience their worst spell of the game conceding five points in as many minutes to a grateful Carlow attack as a combination of lethargic defending and an inability to win the ball in the midfield diamond left Leitrim with an uphill battle for the second half ? five points in arrears 1-8 to 0-6.

Des Dolan chose to reshuffle his hand for the second half introducing Darren Duignan and Colin Regan for Gary Mc Closkey and Barry Butler. Declan Maxwell moved to midfield with Dermot Reynolds rejoined the defence having started in the half forward line. However, when Simon Rea extended the Carlow lead to six points within a minute of the restart, the game appeared to be slipping from Leitrim?s grasp.
If there is one thing that Des Dolan has instilled in this Leitrim team it is a self belief in their own ability to overcome adversity and rather than lie down as might have been expected in the past, Leitrim battled bravely to get back into the game with Maxwell, Dermot Reynolds and Michael Foley particularly prominent. A baffling decision to disallow what appeared to be a perfectly good Leitrim goal left the sizeable Leitrim following to question if it was just one of those days but a series of scores from Foley kept Leitrim in the game up to the final whistle.

On a number of occasions the men in green and gold hauled the Carlow lead back to two points but despite some good chances, Leitrim were unable to close the gap any further and time ran out on a brave comeback.

The game will have given the Leitrim management much to dwell on however ahead of next Sunday?s visit to Pearse Park to face a Longford team currently riding high at the top of Division 2a. The Leitrim defence will certainly need to up their performance against a highly rated Longford attack and Dolan may be tempted to give Declan Maxwell his first start in the middle of field. He will also be consoled by the fact that his team managed an impressive tally of 16 points in the defeat but considering the heavy defeat inflicted on Carlow by Longford in Pearse Park last week, anything other than a home win will be considered a shock result.

Leitrim: Cathal Mc Crann, Michael Mc Guinness, John Mc Keon, Barry Butler, Niall Gilbane, Barry Mc Weeney, Shane Foley, Christopher Carroll (0-1), Gary Mc Closkey, Johnny Goldrick (0-2), Barry Prior, Dermot Reynolds (0-1), Michael Foley (0-8), Declan Maxwell (0-2) and James Glancy (0-2). Subs used: Colin Regan for Mc Closkey, Darren Duignan for Butler, Ray Cox for Glancy (yellow carded)

 

 

14-Mar-05 by Lovely Leitrim

The March County Board meeting is tonight (Monday) in Aras Padraig in Drumshanbo at 8 pm sharp. All delegates are asked to attend.

 

 

14-Mar-05 by Brendan Doyle

Reminder that on this Thursday, March 10, participation will commence for two clubs Glenfarne/Kilty and St. Caillin?s Fenagh.

Leitrim Gaels and Kiltubrid will commence their participation on Tuesday, March 15.

All those attending from all four clubs should have their Questionaire forms returned at the above planned meetings. Check with your secretary if you have not received a form.

This is a very important development programme for you and your club, so make a huge effort to attend and participate.

Trained Facilitators will attend at all venues.

 

 

10-Mar-05 by PJ Meehan – Development Officer

FOUNDATION LEVEL COURSES
Foundation Coaching Courses were completed in Mohill and Dromahair over last weekend and in Aughnasheelin on Monday night last.

LEVEL ONE COACHING COURSE
Our Level One Coaching Course is due to commence on this Friday night in the Carrick Community School at 7.30pm. This course can only proceed if numbers are adequate and clubs should ensure that they have at least one member completing this course.

U-14 SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE
Clubs should return the names of those players they feel are good enough for the U-14 school of GPO Michael Charles before this weekend.

 

 

10-Mar-05 by Thomas Keenan – Coaching Officer

The County U-16 management would like to ask all clubs to nominate players for the upcoming year.

Could coaches or secretaries please forward player names to Derek Kelleher at (087) 6624918 or Kevin Ludlow (087) 8132242.

Names to be submitted no later than Saturday, March 12, as first trials will be held on Saturday, March 19 in Annaduff at 10.30.

See next week?s news for bus times.

 

 

10-Mar-05 by Thomas Keenan – Coaching Officer

The Leitrim team to face Clare today is as follows:

Team
1. Cathal McCrann (Gortletteragh)
2. Michael McGuinness (Mohill)
3. John McKeon (Drumreilly)
4. Dermot Reynolds (St. Marys)
5. Niall Gilbane (Allen Gaels)
6. Barry McWeeney (Aughnasheelin)
19. Barry Butler (St. Marys)
8. Christopher Carroll (Kiltubrid)
9. Gary McCloskey (Bornacoola)
10. Johnny Goldrick (St. Marys)
11. Barry Prior (Aughawillan)
12. Michael Foley (Drumkeerin)
13. Ray Cox (Annaduff)
14. Darren Duignan (Gortletteragh)
15. James Glancy (Glencar/Manorhamilton)

Subs
7. Shane Foley (Kiltubrid)
16. Ciaran Meehan (Dromahair)
17. Dermot Kennedy (Gortletteragh)
18. David McHugh (Annaduff)
20. Gabriel Prior (Aughnasheelin)
21. Dara McKiernan (Kiltubrid)
22. Michael Duignan (Bornacoola)
23. James Holohan (Drumreilly)
24. Donal Brennan (Cloone)

Don t forget that this website will be updated live from Pairc Sean with the scores and events as the happen. Check out the Live link on Sunday afternoon.

 

 

04-Mar-05 by Sean McGoldrick – PRO

The latest in modern technology is being used to keep this website updated live from P?irc Sean with the scores and main events as they happen. This is the second of many initiatives by the IT Committee in assisting and promoting Leitrim GAA.

The Live scores was initiated last year and was revived for the last NFL game against Fermanagh. With only short notice it attracted very favourable viewing figures.

This time out we are going to enhance the service and make it a more dynamic experience with the addition of comments on the play, as it happens, in addition to the scores.

So Sunday afternoon, 2:30pm – Carrick time, no matter where you are in the world you can keep up with the action is it happens ? interactively from P?irc Sean.

Check out the Live link on this website on Sunday afternoon.

 

 

04-Mar-05 by Brendan Doyle – Chairman, IT Committee

A very successful Leitrim GAA Supporters night was held last night in Dans Tavern, Garrycastle, Athlone. MC for the night was Tommy Moran and present on was Eurovision winner Charlie McGettigan. The organising committee Gerry Duignan, JohnÓgibbons and Jim Keaney put a lot of work into the night and the committee successfully raised over ?1000 for Leitrim GAA. Many thanks to the committee, to all those people from the midlands and those further a field who showed their support on the night.

 

 

04-Mar-05 by Sean McGoldrick – PRO

The recently formed IT Committee have announced a Webmail (email) training evening for Club Secretaries to be held on next Wednesday (8th Mar) in Carrick Community School.

This is one of many initiatives by the IT Committee to assist all Clubs and County Officers to switch over the use of IT within their structures. The email initiative is very important as it will be the main means of communication at all levels within the county. This is in line with the Croke Park recommendation of October 2004 that all communications are made by the use of email.

April 1st has been chosen as the changeover date and a lot of effort has already been made by Clubs, County Officers and the IT Committee to meet this deadline. Each of the 26 Clubs have already established a contact person within their clubs for the purposes of communicating by email.

Approximately 4 weeks are left and starting this weekend each club will be issued with a new email address for use on the GAA Official Webmail site ? mail.gaa.ie.

In line with this rollout to each club a training day is arranged for next week. The venue is Carrick Community School on Wednesday, 8th March from 7:30pm to 9:30pm. With a follow-up session provisionally arranged depending on demand. It is hoped that Secretaries and/or Contact person requiring assistance will attend this event.

All interested parties are asked to confirm their attendance by contacting Brendan by email ithelp@leitrim.gaa.ie or by text/phone on 086-8104200 by Tuesday March 8th.

 

 

04-Mar-05 by Brendan Doyle – Chairman, IT Committee

Leitrim U18 Player makes Aussie rules panel.

Adrian Fowley from Dromahaire who is still a minor next year has made the panel for the U18 Compromise rules. Word has it that Adrian is in with a great chance of the full back roll when Ireland play the Aussies later in the year.

 

 

02-Mar-05 by Brendan Doyle

At the 2003 Congress an tUachtarain Sean Uas O?Ceallaigh made some major changes to committee structures.

The primary aim of this committee is to conduct an audit of each club and assist them in their efforts to address any issues by providing both club and officer training.
To this end Leitrim County Development Committee actively encourage all clubs to participate in this very worthwhile programme.
The recent Seminar attended by all clubs and officers has had a very positive impact with a number of clubs already willing to participate.

Officer Training will form part of this programme and with this in mind this news column will carry the dates for clubs to follow. Also appearing weekly in this column will be an outline of the qualities, duties etc of individual club officers starting this week with An Cathaoirleach.

The Club Chairperson?..
Qualities.
As a leader and a Manager, He/she must have?..
? Dedication to the GAA and the club.
? Knowledge?.He/she must prepare by knowing what the GAA is all about. He/she must become familiar with An Treorai Oifiguil
? Power of Persuasion?.He/she is not a dictator. He/she must be able to motivate and work with people.
? Integrity?.He/she is the symbol of the Club and must guard its reputation jealously.

Recommended.
? He/she must have time to do the job.
? Must have a genuine interest in the Association and the necessary background knowledge.
? Have a good standing in the community.
? Have leadership qualities.

Duties.
? To act as Cathaoirleach at committee and other meetings.
? To cooperate with each other club officer to improve the club.
? To act on behalf of the club in the interval between meetings.
? Decide priorities of meetings, having them finalised, leaving less important matters to a later date if necessary.
? Prepare for meetings in close liaison with club Runai.
? Be a Manager of the club with Prime Responsibility for Planning, Organising, Delegating and Controlling.

The contribution of An Cathaoirleach to the effective working of a committee and the Club can never be underestimated.

The Assistant Chairperson ( An Leas Cathaoirleach) should be seen as the ?Cathaoirleach in waiting?. He/she should be assigned to chair a high profile/busy sub-committee in order to gain as much experience of Club Administration as possible.

Next Week?s Officer Profile?.. An Runai ( Club Secretary )

Leitrim GAA?..Club Planning and Development

On Thursday 10th March 2005 participation will commence for two clubs Glenfarne/Kilty and St Caillins Fenagh with Trained Facilitators attending at both venues. Other clubs will follow as soon as can be scheduled.

 

 

02-Mar-05 by PJ Meehan – Development Officer

19 Leitrim Senior Clubs will participate in the Senior championship of 2005. The draw has provided us with some very appetising fixtures with Group 1 the much talked about Group of Death . Group 2 have 4 teams while Annaduff are inÓgroup 4 and have already been touted as favourites in that group by Ex-County Board Chairman Michael McGowan.

The Groups are as follows:

Group 1
St. Marys
Allen Gaels
Aughavas
Glencar/Manor
Kiltubrid

Group 2
Cloone
Bornacoola
Sean O Heslins
Drumkeerin

Group 3
Gortletteragh
Glenfarne/Kilty
Mohill
Aughawillan
Drumreilly

Group 4
Melvin Gaels
Annaduff
Carrigallen
Fenagh-St.Caillins
Ballinaglera

 

 

28-Feb-05 by Sean McGoldrick – PRO