Leitrim make a point

Leitrim proved they were no pushovers when they deservedly shared the points against Tyrone at Pairc Sean MacDiarmada, Carrickon-Shannon yesterday.

In an exciting and at times dramatic encounter during which referee Martin Brady sent off Tyrone's Stephen Lawn, yellow-carded eight players, four from each side, awarded Leitrim a penalty and denied them a second, David McNulty's equalising score in injury time brought huge relief to the large home crowd.

In a sensational opening, Leitrim almost had the ball in the Tyrone net twice, goalkeeper Stephen McCarron saving his side's blushes with some excellent saves.

Fintan McBrien eventually opened the home team's account with a brace of pointed frees in the third and fourth minutes. Tyrone quickly recovered though and Eoin Gormley had them back on level terms by the ninth minute.

Jason Ward and Eoin Gormley traded points towards the end of the first quarter and then Tyrone, in an impressive display of power and skill, combined in a five-man move, to score the goal of the match, when Ciaran McBride hit Matt McGleenan's rebounded shot off Leitrim goalkeeper Gareth Phelan to the net.

Eoin Gormley extended the Tyrone lead with a pointed free in the 16th minute; but four minutes later Leitrim were awarded a penalty following a foul on Seamus Quinn, Fintan McBride converting to put Leitrim back in the game. Although Tyrone held a slender lead of 1-4 to 1-3 at the break, Gerard Cavlan put them further ahead with a point four minutes into the second period.

Seamus Quinn put Adrian Cullen clear to slot home Leitrim's second goal in the 37th minute only for Davitt McElroy to level for Tyrone one minute later and as both sides traded further points, Fintan McBrien put Leitrim ahead again with 13 minutes left.

Then, in the 58th minute, Eoin Gormley brought Tyrone back on level terms, followed one minute later with the lead point from Pascal Canavan.

In a pulsating climax, Tyrone's Stephen Lawn was red-carded for a second bookable offence as Leitrim went looking for a draw. Their efforts were rewarded in the 63rd minute, when David McNulty duly obliged.

Leitrim: G Phelan (capt); D Kelleher, A Charles, J Phelan; C Regan, F Davitt, S Dillon; J Ward (0-1), C Carroll; D McNulty (0-1), S Quinn, P Farrell; F McBrien (1-3), A Cullen (1-0), A Roo- ney (0-1). Subs: R Greenan for A Charles (26 mins), A Fee for P Farrell (40 mins), D Brennan for C Regan (56 mins).

Tyrone: S McCarron; P McGurk, C Lawn (capt), F Devlin; P Devlin, C Holmes, P Canavan; D McElroy (0-1), S McAllan; B Dooher, P Canavan (0-1), G Cavlan (0-1); C McBride (1-0), E Gormley (0-6), M McGleenan. Subs: S Lawn for S McCallan (31 mins), A Cush for C McBride (44 mins), N McSorley for F Devlin (48 mins).

Referee: M Brady (Cavan)