Leitrim’s hurlers going to Croke Park for first time after defeating Sligo
A Leitrim senior hurling team will grace Croke Park for the first time following a comfortable 3- 15 to 3- 8 victory over Sligo on Saturday in the final round of games in the Lory Meagher Cup.
Colm Moreton opened the scoring for Leitrim with a point from play within a minute at Carrick- on- Shannon.
That was followed by 2- 2 from Padraig O’Donnell. Keith Raymond opened the scoring for Sligo with a pointed free after 11 minutes.
A second Moreton point extended Leitrim’s lead, but Sligo regrouped and were rewarded with a Martin Davey goal in the 19th minute.
Leitrim then tacked on a further three points without reply, but Sligo finished the half strongly with two more goals - from Michael Gilmartin and Matthew Davey - to leave Leitrim ahead by 2- 7 to 3- 3 at half- time.
A Padraig O’Donnell ‘ 65’ for Leitrim in the 38th minute was cancelled out by a matching score from Sligo’s Cormac Behan.
However, during a 15- minute spell the home side extended their lead with four unanswered scores that saw them lead by five points. A Zak Moradi goal three minutes from time clinched a famous victory for Leitrim. SCORERS - Leitrim: P O’Donnell 2- 6 ( 3 ‘ 65 2f ), Z Moradi 1- 2, K McDermott 0- 3, C Moreton, C O’Donovan 0- 2 each Sligo: M Davey 2- 0, M Gilmartin 1- 0, K Raymond 0- 2 ( 1f), C Behan 0- 3, K Banks, M O’Callaghan, C Griffin 0- 1 each
LEITRIM: D Molloy, K McGrath, D Carton, V McDermott, E Moreton, C Byrne, D McGovern, L Moreton, J Glancy, C O’Donovan, C Moreton, K McDermott, P O’Donnell, C Cunniffe, Z Moradi. Subs: M Quinn for C Moreton ( HT). G O’Hagan for V McDermott ( 67m).
SLIGO: D Loughnane, E Comerford, T Brennan, N McDermott, K Banks, K Raymond, L Reidy, C Behan, E Kilgallon, T O’Kelly- Lynch, K Gilmartin, P Kilcoyne, J McHugh, M Davey, M Gilmartin. Subs: T Kelly for T Brennan ( 9m). G Feely for N McDermott ( 23m). C Griffin for T O’Kelly- Lynch ( 26m). M O’Callaghan for M Gilmartin ( 50m). REF - A Ferguson ( Fermanagh).