Page 7 - INTO THE WEST - March-April 2018

CONNACHT SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP QUARTER-FINAL
The New York championship team 2018. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile
the Exiles and they were well worth their lead, with former roscommon defender neil Collins going forward and causing huge trouble for Leitrim.
Clarke set Luke Kelly for the equaliser two minutes
movement they won a free which daniel McKenna pointed as they gave went into three minutes of added time during which neither side looked like snatching the
But Leitrim did not panic and the intro- duction of dean McGovern gave them a badly need foothold around the middle of the field.
after the break and as Leitrim were forced to foul Clarke, donnelly
win.
new york led by 1-14 to 0-15 at the
Emlyn Mulligan used his experience to steady the attack and with Keith Beirne accurate as usual from placed balls, they clawed their way back into contention.
on a couple of
Mulligan landed a superb point to give them hope after 15 minutes and they pushed on from there, outscor- ing new york by 0-8 to 0-1 in the closing 20 minutes of the opening half.
ryan O’rourke responded for Leitrim and
But Leitrim finished strongly. Aiden Flynn and darragh rooney brought them within distance and then in the final minute Shane Quinn had a goal chance deflected over the bar for the equaliser.
Beirne landed a couple of 45s, Mulligan kicked two more from play and while they kicked
seven wides, efforts from
after 45 minutes.
ryan O’rourke and McGovern edged them 0-9 to 1-5 at the end of an entertaing opening half.
David Freeman of New York appeals to
the officials after his failed scoring attempt
the fourth time with a free after
new york struggled to maintain the fast pace of the game, with Tony donnelly getting their only score after that early burst when
moments before the final whistle.
Photo by Stephen McCarthy/ Sportsfile
from play nine minutes from time.
pointed ten minutes from the break.
But they squandered a couple of goal chances with dalton Mcdonagh failing to
Kevin O’Grady doubled the lead with a fine point five
finish from close range four minutes from the break, while they suffered another blow when an effort from Clarke, which was initially signalled as a point, was adjudged to be wide and Leitrim went in leading by one at the break.
minutes from time after Clarke had failed to get power into a goal chance with a ground shot.
new york managed to get a lot of early ball into Clarke directly after the restart and that helped them get back in front as they enjoyed a great start to the second half.
They seemed poised for victory when wing-back Shane Quinn went forward to shoot a tremendous point going into the final minute.
But Leitrim again did not panic. Beirne hit another free and then Mark Plunkett landed a superb equaliser from the right wing.]
However, new york’s fitness stood to them and after another good passing
tacked
end of the first period of extra-time with Clarke landing the score of the day from the right wing after O’Grady had edged them in front just before they changed around.
frees to lead by 1-8 to 0-9 after 41 minutes.
That left new york just ten minutes from history with O’Grady putting three between them just after the restart.
then Beirne levelled with a superb effort from play on the left and then he
edged them back in front with a free
They didn’t stop at that and noel Plun- kett kicked the winner, with david Free- man seeing a last gasp effort go just wide for new york as their dream died.
Clarke tied the sides for
56 minutes before kicking one
SCORERS – Leitrim: K Beirne 0-7 (2’45, 3f), E Mulligan 0-3, S Quinn 0-2, R O’Rourke 0-2, D McGovern 0-1, M Plunkett 0-1, A Flynn 0-1, D Rooney 0-1, N Plunkett 0-1
New York: J Clarke 0-5 (2f), S Hogan 1-0, T Donnelly 0-3 (2f), K O’Grady 0-3, D Culhane 0-1, L Kelly 0-1, N Collins 0-1, D McKenna 0-1 (1f).
LEITRIM: D McKiernan; P Maguire, M McWeeney, O Madden; J Rooney, D Wrynn, S Quinn; M Plun- kett, D Flynn; J Heslin, E Mulligan, R O’Rourke; D Rooney, K Beirne, B Gallagher. Subs: D McGovern for Flynn 21; R Kennedy for Heslin 53; C Gaffney for Rooney 56; N Plunkett for Donal Wrynn 71; D Rooney for Beirne 82; A Flynn for Rooney 83 BC NEW YORK: V Cadden; N Collins, D Ward, M Creegan; E Williams, T Cunniffe, M Queenan; D Culhane, S Hogan; T Donnelly, J Clarke, L Kelly; K O’Grady, D McDonagh, D Freeman.
Subs: D McKenna for Freeman 32; J Collins for Kelly 48; P Boyle for Queenan 53; A Cunningham for Donnelly 56; K Scally for J Collins 61; JJ Matthews for Cunningham 69 BC; L Kelly for Culhane 82; D McDonagh for Hogan 88. REFEREE: D O’Mahoney (Tipperary).
INTO THE WEST – Page 7
Hopes of an historic win increased when