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.
Could we be one of the Twelve Apostles, in the top dozen in the Land?
As Barack told us all, “Is feidir linn”.
17-Jul-12 by Tommy Moran
Irish Life GAA Healthy Clubs Every Step Counts Challenge 2025 – starting 8th January2nd January 2025 - 7:00 pm
The Twelve Apostles
County Football17-Jul-12 by Tommy Moran
Fr Manning Change of Venue
Coiste na nÓgDue to the Annaduff pitch being unplayable this evenings match has been switched to Páirc Seán
Fr Manning Cup
Wednesday, 18th July at 7.30pm
Leitrim v Westmeath
17-Jul-12 by Gerri Mulhern – PRO – Coiste na nÓg
We are at home AGAIN
County FootballThe draw for Rounds 3 and 4 of the GAA Football All-Ireland Qualifiers was made live on RTÉs Morning Ireland programme this morning.
The pick of the Round 3 games is the meeting of Kerry and Tyrone, who contested an All-Ireland final as recently as 2008.
Kildare, big winners over Cavan on Sunday, have been paired with Limerick, while Leitrim will be looking for just their second-ever Qualifier win when they face Laois.
The draw was made in the presence of Ard Stiúrthóir Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Páraic Duffy and former Dublin midfielder Ciaran Whelan.
GAA Football All-Ireland Qualifiers Round 3
Saturday 21st July:
Kildare v Limerick (Portlaoise at 7pm)
Tipperary v Antrim (Semple Stadium, Thurles at 3pm)
Kerry v Tyrone (Killarney at 5pm)
Leitrim v Laois (Páirc Seán at 7pm)
GAA Football All-Ireland Qualifiers Round 4 Draw:
Kildare/Limerick v Sligo
Tipperary/Antrim v Donegal/Down
Kerry/Tyrone v Clare
Leitrim/Laois v Dublin/Meath
*Games to be played on the weekend of July 28-29
Sunday, 29th July
GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Quarter-Finals
Cork v Waterford, Semple Stadium, Thurles, 2pm
Kilkenny v Limerick, Semple Stadium, Thurles, 4pm
16-Jul-12 by Colette Fox – PRO
Leitrim create History
County FootballA 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
Alarms clocks set!
County FootballThe draws for the quarter-final of the GAA Hurling Championship and for rounds three and four of the football qualifiers will be made on Morning Ireland tomorrow morning (Monday 16th July).
The Hurling draw will be made at 7.30am and the football draws at 8.30am. Both will be available on RTÉ Radio 1 on all platforms and the draws will also be streamed live via www.rte.ie
Hurling Quarter-final draw
This will see one of the beaten provincial finalists (Leinster – Kilkenny and Waterford – Munster) being drawn to play against a Phase III Winner (Limerick or Cork).
The draw is subject to the avoidance of Repeat Pairings, but none of the teams listed have previously met in the championship.
Football Qualifier Draws – Round 3 and Round 4
The Round 3 draw will see the eight winners from this weekend’s Round 2 games drawn to play against each other in the four Round 3 ties, which are due to take place on Saturday, July 21st.
The first team drawn in each tie are entitled to home advantage. The teams involved will be
Leitrim
Antrim
Tyrone
Laois
Tipperary
Kildare
Limerick
Kerry
The Round 4 draw will pair the winners of each of the 3rd Round games against one of the beaten Provincial Finalists (Clare, Sligo, Down/Donegal, Dublin/Meath). The Round 4 games are scheduled to take place on the weekend of July 28.
Repeat pairings can happen in the football draw.
15-Jul-12 by Colette Fox – PRO
Last night I had a pleasant dream
County FootballLast 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
Under 13 Feile Final
Coiste na nÓgUnder 13 Feile Final
Mon 16th, at 7pm
Venue: Ballinamore
Fenagh-St Caillins v Mohill
Congratulations to both teams for reaching the final and on behalf of Coiste na nÓg I would like to wish both teams the best of luck.
14-Jul-12 by Gerri Mulhern – PRO – Coiste na nÓg
Leitrim v Wicklow
County Football13-Jul-12 by Colette Fox – PRO
Handball News week beginning 8th July 2012
Handball11-Jul-12 by Niall Scollan – Handball PRO
Hurling News week beginning 9th July 2012
Club HurlingUnder 13 Connacht Feile
Cluainín Iomaint and Carrick U13s travelled to Padraig Pearse’s in Woodmount just outside Ballinasloe last Saturday to take part in the Connacht Feile Blitz. Cluainín played Naomh Eoin of Sligo, RoscommonÓgaels and Cois Farraige of Galway. They lost by 3 points to Naomh Eoin, drew with RoscommonÓgaels and lost 2.04 to 4.08 to the Galway side. Carrick played Ballyhaunis of Mayo, Athleague of Roscommon and the Carrick side had a good win over Ballyhaunis and lost narrowly in their last two games. These results prove that there is good work being done by clubs in Leitrim and show that both teams are well able to compete with other counties in Connacht.
National U14 Feile in Dublin
Well done to Paddy O Connor and his Ballinamore Under 14 hurlers who took part in the National Feile in Dublin. The Ballinamore club competed admirably and represented Leitrim proudly with some excellent displays of hurling. The following were their results:
Cootehill Celtic 1.03 Ballinamore 0.02
Setanta 2.01 Ballinamore 1.04
St. Marks 0.02 Ballinamore 1.06
Congratulations to Michael Gordon who has coached his Easkey hurlers to winning the Division 5 title. This is a great achievement for a team from a non traditional hurling county.
Thurles Sarsfields Huling Tournament
Cluainín Iomaint will take the long road to Tipperary to take part in the 40th anniversary of the Thurles Sarsfields hurling tournament this weekend. Tipperary native Val Cronin will line out for the Manorhamilton team at full forward as he returns home where he played his hurling with Thomas Davins. Cluainín will play Kilmoyler of Kerry and Kilbrin of Cork.
11-Jul-12 by Micheal Dolan Hurling PRO
Fr Manning Leitrim v Offaly Change of Date
Coiste na nÓgFr Manning Cup Leitrim v Offaly changed to Thursday evening 12th July at 7.30 in Annaduff.
10-Jul-12 by Barbara Coiste na nÓg
Dromahair win Division 4 League Title
Club FootballCongrats to St Patricks Dromahair who won the Gallogly Catering ACL Division 4 League Final this afternoon in Páirc Seán. They became the second adult team to lift silverwear in the 2012 season. In an entertaining contest, Dromahairs clinical efficiency proved the difference. Final score St Patricks Dromahair 2-14, Aughavas 0-10.
Well done Dromahair.
09-Jul-12 by Colette Fox – PRO