Archive for category: County Football

A fantastic occasion for our wonderful team and supporters this evening as we won our first qualifier match against Wicklow in Páirc Seán.  Final score Leitrim 0-13, Wicklow 0-10.

The lads in the green and gold were magic and you know what – the GAA Slogan “NOTHING BEATS BEING THERE” was never as true as it was this evening in Páirc Seán.  

Our Poster for the big match asked “Which Song will Larry Sing” – well well be singing LOVELY LEITRIM in all parishes in Leitrim tonight ……………..

LAST nÓgHT I HAD A PLEASANT DREAM – I WOKE UP WITH A SMILE ……………..

Well done lads – nothing, absolutely nothing, beats being there with ye!

16-Jul-12 by Colette Fox – PRO

 Last night I had a pleasant dream ……

Which song will Larry sing? screamed James Molloy’s promotional posters for the Qualifier game with Wicklow. Would it be “Lovely Leitrim” or “Among theWicklow Hills”? PRO Collette Fox was busy last week making sure the posters hit every corner of the county, it would be important to pull the supporters out again to roar on the green and gold.

As I was perusing the GAA Qualifier programmes I could see in the clearest pie-chart format that Leitrim was the only county yet to win a Qualifier game in the All Ireland Football Championship. A big red pie all to ourselves. Kerry had a clean plate, never having lost on their journey through the back door en route to the Quarter Finals. The other counties had a mixum-gathering. Disappointed at Leitrim’s lot, I just nodded off into a deep, deep sleep.

But at least I had a pleasant dream. The sun shone on the manicured Páirc Seán pitch and there was an air of expectancy around the place. Carrick had been booked out solid for the weekend — not a bed to be got –only this time, not just by the hens and the stags. The GAA fans had travelled in big numbers from the Garden County and were going to make a few days of it, before tuning into the Round III draw on Monday morning. Hadn’t all the papers and the pundits made them hot favourites. It would be the same old story for Leitrim.

In my dreams I could see a new passion in the Bush Hotel jerseys as every player raised his game; Ray Cox grabbed the ball, swung around Colm O’Rourke style and bisected the posts; James Glancy and Emlyn Mulligan were picking off points; Cathal McCrann was making wonder saves; Enda Williams was making pin-point passes; the backs harried and the forwards hunted, while the midfielders flicked the kick-outs away from their much taller opponents; Leitrim were ahead at half time; the “Lee-trum, Lee-trum” chants reminded everyone of the early nineties; George and Barney consulted, waved directions and made timely substitutions; the stand and the terraces were going mad; John Lynch, Seamus Gallagher, PJ Leddy, Kevin Blessing and all the others were going hoarse with excitement; East Coast radio was telling its listeners that Wicklow wasn’t giving up, there could be a goal in them yet; the Leitrim medical and backroom team were on their feet; James Molloy and Willie Donnellan could hardly hold their cameras steady; Joe Flynn and Diarmuid Sweeney and the whole officer board were getting claps on the back; former team Manager and great friend to the players, Mickey Moran was delighted he had travelled from Derry; John Connolly and Philip Rooney were working out a headline for the Observer; Brian Blake was zooming in on the scoreboard; every watch in Páirc Seán was checked and double checked; Castlebar was forgotten; the players were still giving of every ounce of energy; it finished with a Leitrim win.

What a dream, what a dream. As Larry Cunningham sang so often, I woke up with a smile.

Then someone told me my dream had come true. We HAD won. Larry would be singing “Lovely Leitrim” after all. Well done lads, every single one of you.

Up Leitrim!

Collette and James, get the next poster ready.

15-Jul-12 by Tommy Moran

Connacht GAA Football Championship Finals 2012

Sunday 15th July
Venue: Dr Hyde Park, Roscommon

Connacht GAA finalised the match details and the ticket prices for the Connacht GAA Football Championship Finals 2012. The Finals in Dr Hyde Park have the home county, Roscommon meeting Mayo in the Minor Final at 12noon while Mayo and Sligo duel it out for the Nestor Cup in the Senior Final. The Galway All-Ireland hurling winning teams of 1987 & 1988 will be the special guests of honour on the day. Connacht GAA also announced a price reduction of €5 on stand tickets with special packages for groups and family tickets. For full details see below. 

Minor:
Roscommon vs. Mayo
Referee: S. O hEithir(G)
Throw In: 12noon

Senior:
Mayo vs. Sligo
Referee: C. Reilly, (Meath)
Throw In: 2pm

Ticket Prices:
 Stand €30 (Reserved).
 Sideline Seating €25
 Terrace €20
 Juveniles (U-16) €5
 Students & OAPs Full price must be paid.
 Family Tickets available for Sideline & Stand: Adult full price & child €5
 Group Tickets €30 for a group of 10 juveniles & 1 adult. (available through the Connacht GAA Council Office).

 Refunds of €10 will be paid to OAPs & Students, (with current ID cards), for Stand, Sideline seating and Terrace at Designated Stile only, (Turnstile #6 and #18).
 Groups: Entry at Turnstile #8. All children must be accompanied by Group Leader(s)
 GAA Season Ticket Holders- entry through Turnstile #10

Tickets can be sourced from; 
Connacht GAA Office
Address: Clare Street, Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo
Opening hours: Mon-Friday- 10am-5pm and Saturday 11am-2pm
Ph: (094) 9630335
Email: reception.connacht@gaa.ie
www.connachtgaa.ie

Roscommon County Board
address: 5-6 Castle View, Roscommon 
email: administrator.roscommon GAA.ie
phone: (090) 6627176
Opening Hours: Monday-Friday 9.30-5pm
www.gaaroscommon.ie

Galway County Board
address: Pearse Stadium, Salthill, Galway.
email: administrator.galway@gaa.ie
phone: 091)862500
Opening Hours: Mon-Friday 9.30am-5pm
www.galwaygaa.ie

Mayo County Board
Address: McHale Park, Castlebar, Co. Mayo.
Opening Hours: Monday-Friday 9.30-5pm
Email secretary.mayo@gaa.ie
Office number: 094-9250487
www.mayogaa.com

Sligo County Board
address: Sligo GAA Office, Aughamore Near, Carraroe, Sligo
Sligo GAA Ticket office & Shop, OConnell Street, Sligo (Old Meteor Store) 12-6pm
email: administrator.sligo@gaa.ie
phone: 087-0524574
Opening Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-5pm
www.sligogaa.ie

Leitrim County Board 
address: Pairc Sean MacDiarmada, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Leitrim.
email: secretary.leitrim@gaa.ie
phone: (071) 9620441
www.leitrimgaa.ie

Tickets also available from clubs in the competing counties.

Tickets can also be sourced from www.tickets.ie

Tickets will also be on sale at selected Supervalu & Centra outlets in the competing counties, 
Roscommon: 
Smiths SuperValu Monksland, Athlone, Co Roscommon
Flemings SuperValu, Main Street, Roscommon, Co Roscommon
Duffys SuperValu, Ballaghadereen, Co Roscommon
Cahills SuperValu, Castlerea, Co Roscommon
Galway:
Grealishs SuperValu, Moycullen, Co Galway
Clarkes SuperValu, Barna, Co Galway
McInerneys SuperValu, Loughrea, Co Galway
OTooles SuperValu, Tuam, Co Galway
OMearas SuperValu, Portumna, Co Galway
Nestors SuperValu, Oranmore, Co Galway
McCanns SuperValu, Moycullen, Co Galway
Leitrim
Donohoes SuperValu, Ballinamore, Co Leitrim 
Mayo: 
KavanÓgh SuperValu, Castlebar, Co Mayo
Moloneys SuperValu, Bunree, Ballina, Co Mayo
Cummins SuperValu, Ballinrobe, Co Mayo
Sweeneys SuperValu, Achill Island, Co Mayo
OConnors SuperValu, Westport, Co Mayo
Sligo
Surlis SuperValu, Tubbercurry, Co Sligo
Cosgroves Centra, Maugheraboy, Co Sligo
Whitesides Centra, Collooney, Co Sligo

For more information see www.connachtgaa.ie

03-Jul-12 by Colette Fox – PRO

 Agony in the Garden?

“Come on Liam, do us a favour” we roared at Uachtarán Liam O’ Neill as he began the draw for the Qualifiers, “pull Leitrim out first”. He did and then we held our breath as Liam Hayes opened the second slip of paper. “Hurry up Liam”. We could hardly wait. “Cill Mantáin” We prayed for the two Liams, we knew there is a God.

The whole of Leitrim must have been tuned into TV3 on Monday morning, with at least half predicting another away game against some of the big hitters in the second bowl. Sometimes we need a bit of positive thinking! Others were confused about the system and wondering if we would draw Kerry or Tyrone. We couldn’t, they were in our side. Our choices were Antrim, Wicklow, Westmeath, Laois, Tipperary, Galway and our neighbours Cavan, Longford and Roscommon. Any of the latter three would have created some buzz around Páirc Seán! The Rossies had given a shot in the arm to Connacht football in general and to their own county in particular with a rip-roaring victory over hot favourites Armagh in the Hyde on Sunday, while Longford and Cavan again proved the bookies can often make a wrong call. Pride and passion and self-belief go a long way and can’t be predicted like a racehorse. Racehorses don’t get pep-talks in a dressing room. At least I don’t think so.

It’s Wicklow, The Garden County. Down there they were probably happy enough after the draw. “Sure poor Leitrim were lucky to get out of London and they got hockeyed in Castlebar. Carrick on Shannon might be their Aughrim, but we’ll take them alright, we’re coming in on the back of a win, the extra time against Waterford will have brought us on a lot”. Mind games will have begun already.

Leitrim followers need to stick out their chest a bit and stop worrying about Wicklow. If it were an Allianz League game, we’d be hopeful enough of a win, why not now? A home venue against another Division IV team – what more could we want? Playing at home, of course, is only an advantage when your county comes out to a man behind you. So, we can all do our bit.

Since Castlebar, George and Barney and the players and the Board and the backroom team have been working away quietly, but with the same sense of purpose as before the Championship started. There has been no let up. Training, travelling, focussing, injury treatments, laps and drills. All in Winter conditions as well.

The least the rest of us can do is mark our calendar for Saturday July 14^th. Turn up in Carrick, no matter what else is on. Let’s show everyone what Leitrim supporters can do. The lads in the green and gold are just longing to get the chance to show what they can do too.

Together we can cause another Agony in the Garden.

 Venue: Páirc Seán, Saturday 14th July – Throw in 6pm – Referee Barry Cassidy (Derry)

Nothing beats being there

03-Jul-12 by Tommy Moran

The draw has been made for Round 2 of the GAA Football All-Ireland Championship Qualifiers, with eight fixtures in all set for a fortnights time.

Beaten Leinster semi-finalists Kildare face a trip to Kingspan Breffni Park to take on Cavan, who defeated Fermanagh in the Qualifiers yesterday.

Kerry will face Westmeath in Mullingar, while another team beaten in their provincial semi-final, Tyrone, will travel to Roscommon, who defeated Armagh yesterday.

Derrys conquerors Longford have home advantage against Limerick, while Laois will take on Monaghan at home.

Antrim will receive a visit from Galway, while Wexford will travel into Munster to take on Tipperary. The final tie sees Leitrim host Wicklow.

Fixtures will take place over the weekend of July 14/15, with times to be confirmed shortly.

All-Ireland Qualifier Round 2 Draw

Antrim v Galway
Leitrim v Wicklow
Westmeath v Kerry
Roscommon v Tyrone
Longford v Limerick
Cavan v Kildare
Laois v Monaghan
Tipperary v Wexford

02-Jul-12 by Colette Fox – PRO