Leitrim finally end 11 years of hurt with a famous victory

Leitrim 0-13 Wicklow 0-10:THE MEMORY of 11 years of hurtful defeats was swept away in the sunshine of Carrick-on- Shannon on Saturday as Leitrim fashioned victory over fancied Wicklow in a pulsating game before a crowd of 3,500.

Despite some close calls, Leitrim have failed to win a qualifier since they were introduced in 2001 and few gave them much hope against Wicklow.

However Leitrim set out their stall from the third minute when Ray Cox pointed from play.

The excellent Joe Kelly was a late call-up in the Wicklow attack and he scored Wicklows opening point on five minutes.

James Glancy edged Leitrim ahead in the sixth minute but the Wicklow midfield pairing of James Stafford and Rory Finn began to impress and the Garden County led by a point after 20 minutes.

However profligate shooting was to be Wicklows undoing, they registered 16 wides to Leitrim’s six. In contrast, the excellent Emlyn Mulligan added three frees to the Leitrim total in a first half which ended 0-7 to 0-6 in favour of the hosts.

After half-time Mulligan kicked over two pointed frees followed by a point from play by substitute Gary Hickey to extend Leitrim’s lead to four points.

Wicklow responded with a 53rd-minute point from Nicky Mernagh cancelled two minutes later by a James Glancy score. Two more Wicklow points from Dean Healy and Séanie Furlong later gave the large Wicklow following something to cheer about.

Emlyn Mulligan once more lifted the siege with a pointed free three minutes from time.

John McGrath quickly replied for Wicklow on full-time but when James Glancy sent over a wonderful point from play one minute into added time the game belonged to Leitrim.

LEITRIM:C McCrann; A Wynne, F McMorrow, P Maguire; C Clarke, E Williams, D Beck; D Sweeney, S Moran; P Brennan, E Mulligan (0-6, all frees), P McGowan; R Cox (0-1), J Glancy (0-5), K Conlon. Subs: G Hickey (0-1) for D Sweeney, R Lowe for S Moran, A Croal for K Conlon, B McDonald for R Cox.

WICKLOW:J Flynn; S Kelly, A McLoughlin, A Byrne; D Healy (0-1), S Byrne, D Hayden; J Stafford, R Finn; D O'Sullivan, S Furlong (0-2), J Kelly (0-3); J McGrath (0-2), T Hannon (capt 0-1, free), P Burke. Subs: N Gaffney for A Byrne, C McGaynor for D O'Sullivan, N Mernagh (0-1) for T Hannon, P Dalton for J Kelly.

Referee: B Cassidy (Derry).