Archive for category: County Football

Joint Leitrim Manager Brian Breen in a post match interview with Shannonside FM reporter Seamus Gallagher after our victory over Carlow today. 

03-Mar-13 by Colette Fox – PRO

Letting down the Blade

When my uncle, Joe Sweeney, would tell me he had to let down the blade, it never made a lot of sense to me. But of course I let on I understood, as he lowered the mowing arm on the horse drawn machine to get every last sprig of grass off the meadow in Killaneen. He wanted to shave off the minutest strand, to get the best value he could out of the few acres of grass he had to work on.

I thought of Uncle Joe last Sunday, as Mary Flynn and Noeleen Noone poured the tea in a rather subdued atmosphere at half time. There were happy Clare faces of course, but the stewards and supporters and everyone in a green and gold jacket hovered inÓgroups, like in the hallway of the High Court and wondered what in blazes had happened in the run up to half time.

We appeared to be on a roll, but play was rightly held up to care for worrying looking injuries to Cathal McCrann and then Adrian Croal and suddenly we were behind and Clare had risen from the dead.

Micko will probably be getting plaudits today for pulling some master stroke inside that wise old head. But he didn’t really, he probably just told his players to go back out and keep the stolen momentum going. Anyway, they did and we could have had no complaints at full time, Clare deserved to go home with the two points.

Of immediate concern to us is that Cathal and Adrian make full and speedy recoveries – and not just for football reasons, they don’t deserve to be in pain or discomfort or unable to work or socialise for giving their all for the county jersey. But hurry back, lads!

If George or Barney talk this week about letting down the blade, we will all know what they mean. What has beenÓgiven on the training field to date, will pale a little compared to what is to come, every last ounce will be demanded from everyone in the team party. It’s not the end of the world. We have lost two matches in a row before. And don’t forget we had won four in a row just before these last glitches.

The rest of us can let down the blade a bit too – if we could all get just one more member each into the Supporters Club, it would make such a difference. Shay Reynolds and Michael Feeney would be quite happy if they had to bale the Euro notes. The banks are open for business, well, some of them anyway.

And George and Barney and the players are still open for business.

Let down the blade, lads, we are all still behind you.

11-Feb-13 by Tommy Moran

The GAA national website (www.gaa.ie) has a preview of all the teams participating in this years Allianz Football League.  Follow this Link to preview the Leitrim team ahead of our Allianz Football League opening match against Limerick on Sunday.  And dont forget if you intend travelling to Sundays game on the Leitrim Supporters Bus you are advised to book your seat as soon as possible.  Latest date for booking your seat is Thursday 31st. January but seats will be reserved on a first come basis and as the man says “when theyre gone, theyre gone.”

Booking details:

Shay Reynolds, Bornacoola 087 903 0882

Attracta O Reilly, St. Marys 086 170 8499

€15 per person

Departure Sunday 03/02/2013

9.15 am Drumshanbo swimming pool
9.30 am Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada
9.50 am Bornacoola GAA, Dromod 

Be there to cheer them on to a winning start

29-Jan-13 by Colette Fox – PRO

Follow this link to the RTE GAA page containing interviews with Barney Breen, Emlyn Mulligan and James Glancy following Sundays victory in the FBD Final.

28-Jan-13 by Colette Fox – PRO

Limerick v Leitrim

Sunday 3/2/13 at 2.00pm in the Gaelic Grounds

Train departs – Hueston Station 8.30 am or 10.00am

You change trains at Limerick Junction

Train arrives Limerick – 10.40 am or 12.05 pm

Return from Limerick

Departs – Limerick – 16.20 or 17.45

The 16.20 direct to dublin.

The 17.45 YOU CHANGE AT LIMERICK JUNCTION

Arrives Dublin – 18.40pm or 19.50pm respectively

Supporters should book on line on the train that suit them best

Adult fare – return  €30

Lets cheer them on to a winning start.

28-Jan-13 by Eamonn Duignan

Connacht GAA FBD Football League 2013

Sunday 27th January 2013
Markievicz Park
Sligo 0-5 Leitrim 0-8
Referee: J. Henry(M) 

Leitrim made a bit of history for themselves today as they defeated Sligo in Markievicz Park to win the Connacht GAA FBD Football League title for the first time in their history.

Leitrim took an early lead against the Yeats County, and never relinquished it, leading from the very start and looking fairly comfortable in the closing stages.  The weather was not ideal for football, and the quality of the game reflected this as both sides struggled to retain possession.  However, Leitrim always looked the more likely winners, and the win brings a rare piece of silverware to the county.
Ray Cox got Leitrim off the mark with the first score of the game, and Barney Breen and George Dugdales side led 0-3 to 0-0 before Brian Egan and Mark Breheny found the range for Sligo.
However, Leitrim responded with scores from captain Emlyn Mulligan (45) and Danny Beck to go in 0-5 to 0-2 ahead at the break.

Conditions did not improve much for the second half, and both sides only managed three more points each. Leitrim extended their lead to four at one stage, but Sligo got back within two with scores from Egan and Adrian Marren.  However Leitrim stayed composed, and Brian McDonalds score right at the end put them three clear and wrapped up a famous win for them.

They will play New York in the overall FBD League final in October.

27-Jan-13 by Collette Fox – PRO