London look to improve under the
floodlights
 London will be looking
for a dramatic improvement in their National League fortunes when they
travel to Cloone to face a resurgent Leitrim.
History will be made with this fixture as it’s the first time that
a National Football League game will be played in Connacht under lights.
It is indicative of the confidence in the Leitrim camp that their manager
Dessie Dolan expressed himself disgusted with his side’s draw against
Donegal, saying: “We should have won.”
That result, and their decent performances in last years Connacht championship,
show that Leitrim are on an upward curve, and won’t be easy prey
for anyone this season. They have a full squad to choose from.
In contrast, London manager Noel Dunning is without 13 of the team which
ran Roscommon so close in the championship last year.
Included in that batch are the Hehir brothers, Shane McInerney —
who has been called onto the Meath senior panel — Barry Solen who
is away travelling and the retired Scott Doran.
Dunning said: “If you take 13 lads out of any county panel you are
going to suffer. I have 30 lads going training at the moment and while
there is no lack of motivation it is difficult to replace players of the
quality we have lost.
“I am using the league to experiment to see what sort of talent
is available for the championship.
“We are playing Leitrim at 7.45pm on a Saturday night. We are travelling
over on the Saturday morning and getting a coach from Dublin airport to
Leitrim then playing the match almost straight from the coach.
“That is no way to prepare for a match in this day and age. If the
London board don’t want to back us for the league then they should
pull us out altogether.”
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