Leitrim get a fright

Championship 2003 Connacht SFC quarter-finalLeitrim were given a massive shock by New York in their Connacht SFC clash at Gaelic Park, New York last night.

Declan Rowley's side eventually won with two points to spare, but only after New York took them to extra-time.

Dramatic late points from Shane Canning and Padraig McLoughlin finally proved decisive for Leitrim in a pulsating game in front of an almost capacity crowd of 4,000.

The sides were level on eight occasions. Hosts New York carried the fight to the favourites from the first whistle and despite a McLoughlin free from 30 metres giving Leitrim the lead in the fourth minute the home side were soon on top.

And the home side looked set for a famous victory late on when they led by a point, but an effectively worked Leitrim 45 saw McLoughlin kick the equalising score in the dying embers of the second half to bring a 0-10 each deadlock.

New York were reduced to 14 men just before the completion of normal time when wing-back James Mitchell was sent off.

The first 10-minute period of extra-time could not separate the sides with New York's Kevin Lily and Leitrim's McLoughlin (free) exchanging points to make it 0-11 each at half-time of extra-time.

But Leitrim finally pulled away during the second half of extra-time and now meet Galway or Roscommon.

LEITRIM: G Phelan; J McKean, J Phelan, M McGuinness; N Gilbane, S Foley, D Reynolds; P McDermott, C Carroll; S Canning (0-1), S Quinn (0-2), D Maxwell; M Duignan, O Maguire (0-2), P McLoughlin (0-8, 4 frees). Sub: C Regan (0-1) for McKean.

NEW YORK: E Doherty; P Murphy, Paul O'Connor, Paddy O'Connor; P Slaon, K Newell, J Mitchell; K O'Connor, J Killeen; K Lily (0-5), G Dowd (0-1), B O'Driscoll (0-1); B McGrogan, E Reilly (0-3), F O'Neill (0-2).

Referee: S McCormack (Meath).