The Twelve Apostles

The Twelve Apostles

We can prepare for the clash with Laois, just as we did for Wicklow, out of the eyes of the nation. Already the GAA focus is on the Tyrone-Kerry game down in Killarney and to a lesser extent on Kildares next step. We are out of the reckoning already. Lovely.

 

Last week we got a few column inches about never having won a Qualifier, but few expected us to be in the drum on Monday morning, Wicklow were marked down to do the business and keep the back door shut in our faces. How could Leitrim recover from the visit to Castlebar?

 

Recover the Leitrim players did – and with a confidence and panache that nobody realised was in our psyche. Castlebar was well and truly buried, but by now so is last Saturday, the day supporters strolled proudly out of Pairc Sean, no rushing for the car to get away, muttering “the same old story again”. We hung around, basking in the resurrection. Leitrim souls around the world were on Twitter and Facebook, proud to be spreading the good news even further. Before the team left the dressing room the whole universe was saluting the men in the green and gold. It was more than just beating Wicklow, Leitrim had made a statement.

 

Brian Breen and George Dugdale had dug deep to get their squad ready for the Qualifier, long before we even knew the opposition. The players had to be ready for anyone. The draw came and the lads responded, we are now in the last sixteen. I wonder how many had gone to Paddy Power on that one early in the year? Paddy had predicted we wouldnt get out of Ruislip.

Nobody knows better than the team and all associated with it, that this weekend is a new challenge. Its a challenge for Laois too, remember. There are no championship statistics from previous meetings to go by. Laois would not have fancied a trip to Aughrim, nor will they be too cocky coming up the N4 into Carrick.

 

If ever the Leitrim supporters were needed to rally to the cause, that time is this weekend.

Remember the roar that greeted the final whistle last Saturday? We need to take the note from that and have the “Ley-trum, Ley-trum” war cry going from 7pm sharp, to let Laois know that they are in a game, of the type they never expected.

 

 

As Barack told us all, “Is feidir linn”.