CHAMPIONS!

SLIGO LEITRIM 3-15 2-13

SLIGO ladies retained their Connacht Intermediate title after overcoming Leitrim in an exciting final at MacHale Park, Castlebar, on Sunday afternoon.

The encounter was always going to be an evenly matched affair as Sligo went into it on the back of a defeat to Roscommon, while Leitrim had come out on the losing end when they met Sligo in the first round so it was all to play for both sides.

Paddy Henry’s ladies have a wealth of experience with captain Noelle Gormley, Stephanie O’Reilly, Bernice Byrne, Sarah Reynolds, Jacqui Mulligan and Etna Flanagan among the names who have been on the county panel for years and their experience told on the pitch last Sunday.

It was St Nathy’s corner forward Denise McGrath who was to prove lethal on the day for the Yeats County, as she bagged two goals, which really put it up to Leitrim as a contest.

Her first, in the fourth minute, gave Sligo a comfortable lead, but Leitrim clawed right back into it themselves when Michelle Heslin, who was a big performer on the day, netted in the 7th minute to bring Philip Brady’s outfit back to level matters.

McGrath’s deftness when it comes to scoring goals mattered most on 47 minutes as the sides were all square as the game approached the crucial final ten.

It was the lucky bounce of the ball that fell into the path of McGrath and she didn’t hesitate in blasting to the back of Michelle Guckian in the Leitrim net, the black and white support delirious as Sligo leapt into a three point advantage in what had been an evenly matched final, although Sligo were ruing a number of wides.

From here, try as they might, Leitrim couldn’t contain the Sligo momentum and the lead was never in doubt, although they did have a goal chance in the dying stages, which was saved off the line by Stephanie O’Reilly.

However, it was Sligo’s day and they are now into the Ladies Intermediate Quarter Final meeting in six weeks’ time, the draw of which has yet to be made following this weekend.

There was a mere 15 seconds on the clock when Sligo got on the scoreboard, through half-forward Stephanie O’Reilly with a fine point from play.

Leitrim had the advantage of playing with a strong wind in the opening half, which has succumbed somewhat slightly in the second period.

It was Sligo again was attacked three minutes on the clock when Sarah Reynolds linked up with O’Reilly and Aine Gormley, the latter’s shot saved well by Guckian between the posts.

Leitrim’s Laura O’Dowd went on the counter-attack but saw her attempt sail wide, their second before down the other end, it was Sligo who pounced.

The ball was sent into the path of 20-year-old McGrath and the St Nathy’s woman scored the first goal of the game only four minutes in.

To their credit, Leitrim didn’t flounder and instead rallied up the pitch and found the net themselves.

They used the open space to dash through with Aine Tighe, their best player, powering up the field and smashing into the Sligo net as Leitrim were only a point behind.

It was all level on seven minutes, when Heslin pointed and then seconds later Sligo took the lead once more.

The hard-working Reynolds fed O’Reilly who sent over her second point from play after great work.

A Sligo free was easily tapped over by Ciara Gorman, who was impressive, in the 12th minute, while Heslin again kept the Sligo lead in check with a fantastic point from play.

Play was halted for sometime after Guckian was injured following a collision but the Kiltubrid keeper got back on her feet to see out the game.

A quick one-two with Leitrim’s O’Dowd and midfielder Deirdre Ward saw the latter’s goal chance go wide.

Gorman then found the lurking O’Reilly who went on her own and it was one on one with Guckian, the Geevagh woman’s shot popping into the right hand side of the net as Sligo led 2-3 to Leitrim’s 1-2 with 18 minutes played.

Leitrim responded again, this time Tighe linked up with Ailbhe Clancy who pointed which was followed moments later with another off the boot of Tighe as the gap was brought back to two points on 19 minutes. Laura Ann Laffey and Tighe swapped points before Lauren Boles, with a fine point from play, brought Sligo’s advantage back to three on 26 minutes.

Captain Gormely was called upon to make a fine save on Heslin, which the fearless St Nathy’s woman is known for as momentum ebbed slightly in the final ten minutes of the first half. A point from Emma Kevaney for Sligo was followed by three on the trot for Leitrim, with Clancy, Tighe and O’Dowd on target as the half-time score saw Sligo ahead by 2-6 to 1-8.

As the second half got underway, it was Reynolds who went on a blistering run for Sligo, Guckian saving off the line as O’Reilly was incoming a minute after the re-start. A minute later and it was level again with the tireless Tighe on target for Leitrim. Aine Gormely brought Sligo back into the lead which was short-lived as Clancy got her third on 36 minutes. Gorman showed outstanding class with her point on 38 minutes as Sligo went two in front after Gormley pointed again. Ward responded for Leitrim before Gorman converted a free to edge them two in front on 41 minutes. Then the game switched in Leitrim’s favour, Tighe finding the net to put them one ahead on 43 minutes. Sligo however didn’t fluster and Gorman levelled through a free on 45 minutes. The momentum returned to Sligo through the excellent McGrath with 13 minutes remaining, her finish expertly to the back of the Leitrim net, a lead that Sligo would never relinquish.

Two scores from substitute Elaine O’Reilly, who impacted immediately when she came on, along with points from Laffey and Gorman meant there was no way back for Leitrim, a Sligo goal chance slicing off the cross-bar, while the excellent Gormley saved another Heslin chance near the end.

SLIGO: N Gormley (C), E Flanagan, E Codd, J Mulligan, L Boles, G O’Loughlin, R Goodwin, B Byrne, S Reynolds, A Gormley, S O’Reilly, L A Laffey, C Gorman, E Kevaney, D McGrath.

Subs used: E O’Reilly for Kevaney 44; M A O’Kennedy for Laffey 51; A Coleman for Boles 59; R Monaghan for Flanagan 62.

LEITRIM: M Guckian, A Heslin, C Owens, S Tighe, M Hewitt, E Quinn, K Gilgunn, D Ward, A Tighe, R McHugh, M Heslin, L O’Dowd, B O’Rourke, A Clancy, E Guckian.

Subs used: A Conlon for O’Rourke, 22; C Beirne for S Tighe 55.

REFEREE: G McMahon (Mayo).