Leitrim?s second game in the FBD League proved to be a sterner test against a Galway team that got the lead in the second half and maintained it to win by 2 points in Carrick-on-Shannon.
The first half was Leitrim?s best half however Galway opened the Scóring from the throw-in with a point from David Ward after 40 seconds. Leitrim replied with a goal from Michael Foley on the 3rd minute. Leitrim hit a bad patch and registered 4 wides to Galway?s 1 wide. It was the 18th minute before Galway?s Brendan Og O Callarain scored their 2nd point from play. With 2 more wides for Leitrim it was on the 24th minute that Dara McKiernan scored Leitrim?s first point from play. Padraig Joyce kept Galway in touch with a point from a free and indeed should have put Galway in front with a goal chance which was saved by Cathal McCrann. Michael Foley replied at the other end with a point from a free on the 31st minute. Half Time score Leitrim 1-2 Galway 0-3
The second have saw a change in the attitude of the Galway team and a tactical switch of moving Padraig Joyce out from the full forward line to the centre field area proved Leitrim?s downfall. Joyce ruled the roost for the first 10 minutes and it was sufficient time for Galway to register 4 points unanswered. Michael Foley clawed back a point form a free on the 13 minute for Leitrim but this was followed by 2 points from Galway in the 20th and 22nd minute. Michael Foley again registered what would be Leitrim?s last score of the half on the 23rd minute. Padraig Joyce received a straight red for a striking offence and even with the numerical advantage Leitrim could not settle down and take the game to Galway. In fact it ended with Galway blasting the last 2 chances wide in the 27 and 28th minute.
By not taking the scores and wrapping up the game in the first half and the lack of composure in the second half when having an extra man proved to be Leitrim?s downfall in a scrappy encounter.
Full Time score: Leitrim 1-4 Galway 0-9
ScórERS ?
Leitrim: M Foley 1-3 (3f), D McKiernan 0-1.
Galway: P Joyce 0-3 1f, B Og O Callarain 0-2, C Bane 0-1, N Coleman 0-1, A O Donovan 0-1, D Ward 0-1.
LEITRIM – C McCrann; D Reynolds, J McKeon, C Kennedy; M Greene, B McWeeney, S Foley; G McCloskey, D Lowe, B Prior, S Canning, M Foley, C Duignan, D Maxwell, D McKiernan. Subs: D McHugh for M Greene; C Carroll for D Lowe; D Beck for D McKiernan; D O Donnell for C Duignan; N Doonan for S Canning.
GALWAY – P Skelly; V Feeney, K Fitzgerald, R Fahey; D Marley, R Gibbons, M Comer; N Coleman, D Burke; C Bane, C Blake, D Ward; B Og O Callarain, P Joyce, A O;Donovan. Subs: D O Carrain for D Ward, D O Malley for C Bane.
REF – C Collins (Mayo)
16-Jan-06 by Brendan Doyle