Leitrim draw with Roscommon
Barry Prior gave Leitrim a well-deserved draw against Roscommon in a thrilling Connacht Senior Football Championship semi-final in Carrick-on-Shannon yesterday.
A capacity crowd of 14,517 at P?irc Se?n MacDiarmada began to think they were watching a shock Leitrim victory with only ten minutes to go, when the hosts opened up a two point lead. However, Roscommon responded with points from Francie Grehan, Frankie Dolan and Seamus O Neill, before Prior had to save the day for Leitrim in injury time.
Leitrim trailed for most of the game after early Roscommon scores opened up a 0-3 to 0-1 lead. By half-time, the visitors led by just two, 0-7 to 0-5. Points from Gary Cox and Francie Grehan stretched the lead to four points soon after the break, but after a mix-up in the Roscommon penalty area, Michael Foley duly slotted the resultant penalty to close the gap to one point.
Leitrim stepped it up a gear after that goal, with further points from substitute Pat Farrell and Foley to move into a 1-7 to 0-9 lead. Frankie Dolan levelled for the visitors before Leitrim looked to have taken control with points from Declan Maxwell and another substitute Shane Canning to leave them two ahead.
However, Roscommon remained calm and three points in succession left Prior to save the day for Leitrim.
The replay will take place at 18:30 in Hyde Park on Saturday next, 19th June 2004.
Leitrim: G. Phelan, D. Reynolds, J. McKeon (0-1), M. McGuinness, N. Gilbane, S. Quinn, B. Prior (0-1), D. Maxwell (0-1), C. Carroll, J. Goldrick (0-1), J. Guckian, C. Regan (0-2), D. Brennan, F. McBrien (0-1), M. Foley (1-1, 1-0p, 1f). Subs: S. Canning (0-1) for Guckian (40), J. Clancy for Brennan (45), P. Farrell (0-1) for Goldrick (46), N. Doonan for McBrien (56).
Roscommon: S. Curran, J. Whyte, M. Ryan, J. Nolan, D. Casey, F. Grehan, A. McPadden, S. O Neill, S. Lohan, B. Higgins, F. Dolan, G. Cox, N. Dineen, K. Mannion, G. HenÓghan. Subs: J. Rogers for McPadden (HT), J. Dunning for Dineen (42), J. Tiernan for Goldrick (56), E. Towey for HenÓghan (66).
20-Jun-04 by Paddy Reilly
