| Leitrim’s late late show
 By
Graham Clifford
London produced the performance of their lives and came close to creating
the shock of the year in the National Football League.
It took three late Ciaran Duignan points to break London hearts and seal
the win for a Leitrim side which looked devoid of ideas for most of the
game.
The comparative paucity of the opposition should take nothing away from
a London side which battled for every 50-50 ball and looked by far the
hungrier and more interested team.
Leitrim boss Dessie Dolan said afterwards that he knew London were a big
physical side with talent dotted around the field but even he had to admit
that Leitrim escaped from Ruislip on Easter Sunday fortunate to have the
two points in the bag.
The tie, due to be played on February 25 but called off due to a waterlogged
pitch, finally got the go-ahead last week. The Exiles took a well-earned
lead after six minutes when Galway man Chris Donnellan pointed from a
tight angle.
London were using the flanks to good effect to pull the Leitrim backs
out of position and in the 12th minute London midfielder Declan Meehan
pointed to raise a few eyebrows on the sideline.
Had London’s normally reliable free taker Niall Clinton pointed
from his two scoreable opportunities then the home side would have been
further ahead.
Leitrim opened their account in the 15th minute courtesy of Declan Maxwell,
who picked off an excellent score from the left wing.
Dolan’s men reached parity against the run of play in the 18th minute
when a Ciaran Duignan free sailed between the London posts.
Clinton atoned for his earlier dead-ball errors to put London back in
front in the 24th minute with a superb long-range effort.
Duignan, Leitrim’s most impressive player on view, levelled matters
again in the 26th minute after a mix-up in the London defence.
Leitrim eventually found some rhythm to their play with Gary McCloskey
coming into his own in midfield.
London regained the lead in the 33rd minute from Dara Kinnevey before
Chris Donnellan forced a superb save from the Connacht side’s netminder
Noel Gill.
Colin Regan drew Leitrim level just before the interval to spare some
half-time blushes for Dessie Dolan.
The hard-working Daragh Kinnevey was on target again within a minute of
the restart to give London a 0-5 to 0-4 lead.
Duignan and Declan Maxell linked up in the 41st minute to level matters
with the latter piercing the posts.
It is a sign of how much Leitrim were on the back foot that they introduced
a slew of substitutes at the start of the second-half in the hope of rescuing
the game.
London’s Senan Hehir put the home side in front by 0-6 to 0-5 after
43 minutes before a Michael Foley free levelled matters again in the 45th
minute for the Connacht men.
Duignan put Leitrim in front from a free after 50 minutes. But it was
London who threatened most and in the 51st minute Paul Hehir rattled the
crossbar after a Chris Donnellan shot was parried by Gill.
Having survived the onslaught Leitrim regrouped and Duignan pointed to
stretch the lead 0-8 to 0-6.
On another day London would have folded but playing with a renewed confidence
they continued to attack. Meehan scored a contender for point of the day
before Philip Morgan fisted over from close range to level matters for
the Exiles.
Maxwell and the superb Conor Beirne traded points as the home supporters
sensed an upset but a Chris Duignan free handed the lead back to Leitrim
0-10 to 0-9.
With just a minute to go London’s Paul Hehir levelled matters and
a famous result looked in prospect.
Leitrim’s Gary McCloskey emerged as a hero in the middle however
and his industry paid dividends. Duignan pointed from play after a reckless
sideline ball from London before McCloskey was fouled to present the corner-forward
with another easy free.
However Duignan saved the best for last with a superb point from a falling
position on the right wing.
London’s manager Noel Dunning described the game as ‘one that
got away’ and surely the Exiles will fancy their chances when Leitrim
make their third trip to the capital this year on May 27 for the Connacht
Championship showdown. |
