At 14 minutes to 2pm today our
website became a victim of its own success as the volume of visitors caused the site to crash and go offline. Our webteam and photo team were unable to connect and provide a service despite various attempts during the afternoon.

For this lack of service we apologise as we had everything in place to broadcast the scores live around the world.

We are still trying to determine exactly how many visitors were trying to access the site before 2pm but suffice it to say that we will do what we can to prevent this happening in the future.

Anyway website aside it was not a good day on the field as a much sharper Louth outfit took an early lead and maintained it throughout the game. This report from RTE tells it all:

[b]Big win for the Wee County[/b]
Sunday, 27 August 2006 7:53

Louth celebrate their Tommy Murphy Cup win

Louth enjoyed their second major success of the year as they defeated Leitrim by 3-14 to 1-11 to lift the Tommy Murphy Cup at Croke Park this afternoon.

The sides exchanged early points until John O Brien broke from his left corner-back position and sent a rasping shot across the goal where Brian White slid in to give Louth the early advantage with a well takenÓgoal.

Leitrim were having trouble getting supply to their forwards in the early stages and twice put the ball into the hands of Leitrim keeper Cathal McGrann. They eventually split the posts courtesy of a free from corner-forward JohnÓglancy.

Minutes later, a free from Darren Clarke struck the post and fell to Shane Lennon who found enough space among the Leitrim defenders to put the ball over the bar on 14 minutes.

White had a golden opportunity for a second goal moments later as he found himself through with only McGrann to beat. However, McGrann spread himself superbly to deny him his second green flag. White made up for it by hitting another point despite the close attention of the Leitrim defenders.

Louth were making Leitrim battle hard for possession and managed to use the long ball to the advantage of their full-forward line.

Leitrims last line of defence were finding it increasingly difficult to cope with the pressure and McCrann was called into action again on 20 minutes when he came from his line to clear a high ball, but Darren Clarke was unable to control the resulting loose ball. Wing-back Ray FinnÓganÓgot forward to add to Louths tally just after.

Leitrim centre-back Francis Holohan then managed to sneak past the tight Wee County defence but was unable to beat Reynolds as the ball spun wide.

Leitrim had another chance to goal as Glancy sent a ball across the goal but Reynolds came to the rescue again, putting Donal Brennan under enough pressure to prevent his effort crossing the line.

Dessie Dolan Senior sent on Declan Maxwell for Colin Regan on 29 minutes to try and break the miserly Louth defence.

Before he got the chance, Ronan Carroll scored his first point of the day as the Leitrim defence were again found wanting. Moments later Clarke added a point.

There was more misery for Leitrim as Shane Lennon prospered from a deflected Darren Clarke shot. He leaped higher than McGrann to punch the ball over the line.

Maxwell finally got the chance to make an impression and added a point to the Leitrim tally with his first possession. He made another impression moments later as he broke a loose ball to Barry Prior to send the wing-forward free to grab another point.

Duignan added a touch of respectability to the score-line before half-time as the Louth defenders gave away a free in front of the posts, allowing him to convert with ease. Louth went in leading 2-07 to 0-05.

Leitrim took to the field with more purpose in the second half and immediately managed to stretch the Louth defence and Ciaran Duignan slotted over the first point of the half from a free.

Darren Clarke scored a point in response, following a good break from Farrelly.

The Louth defence conceded another scoreable free in front of goal and Duignan was only too happy to reduce the Wee County lead to seven points. Duignan added another sweet point seconds later as he curled the ball over from a difficult angle, before Glancy had a good opportunity to add another but shot wide.

Louth were in danger of suffering from another bout of second-half-syndrome (as they did in their Leinster opener against Meath) before Clarke added his fourth point of the day. Louth led 2-09 to 0-08 with every score for the Wee County coming from play.

Clarke was on fire as he added a fifth point as Louth battled their way back to the position of prominence that they enjoyed throughout the first half. Maxwell responded for the Connacht side with a well taken point from the left.

A high challenge on Brian White by Dermot Reynolds, in front of the referee, resulted in Clarke Scóring Louths first point of the day from a placed ball.

Noel Doonan was on the field for all of fifteen seconds when he connected with a good line-ball from Cathal Duignan to score Leitrims first goal of the day and give them some hope entering the final fifteen minutes.

Darren Clarke then had the perfect chance to reply with a goal but he fired the ball over the bar with an openÓgoal beckoning.

Barry Prior and Ciaran Duignan both sent good chances wide with ten minutes to go and allowed the impetus to return to Louth. JP Rooney took advantage of the situation to score his second point of the afternoon and leave seven points between the sides again.

Duignan popped another free over with four minutes to go but Louth had steadied their ship and added a point from the impressive Mark Brennan before JP Rooney enjoyed a bit of luck to score his sides third goal of the day.

Declan Maxwell added one of the points of the year in injury time but all was lost for the Connacht side as Louth went on to add the Tommy Murphy Cup to the NFL Division Two title won in April.

LEITRIM: C McGrann; D Reynolds, K McKeon, M McGuinness; B McWeeney, F Holohan, S Foley; G McLoskey, C Carroll; C Regan, M Foley, B Prior; J Glancy, D Brennan, C Duignan.

LOUTH: S Reynolds; D Brennan, C Goss, J O Brien; P McGinnitty, M Fanning, R FinnÓgan; M Farrelly, P Keenan; B White, M Brennan, R Carroll; D Clarke, S Lennon, JP Rooney.

 

 

27-Aug-06 by Brendan Doyle – PRO

[b]Junior B Final[/b]
The Junior B final between St. Marys and Leitrm Gaels was played in wet and slippery conditions in P?ric Sean yesterday evening. Leitrim Gaels were not able to reply to 4 straight points from the St. Marys men in the final quarter of the game and St. Marys ran out winners in a very low Scóring encounter. Final score St. Marys 0-8 Leitrim Gaels 0-4.

[b]Junior A[/b]
In the Junior A competition 4 quarter finals and the 2 relegation semifinals are scheduled for this evening and they are as follows:

Allen Gaels v Eslin at 5.00 in P?ric Sean – Ref. Thomas Forde
Gortletteragh v Melvin Gaels at 6.30 in P?irc Sean – Ref. Eamonn O Grady
Aughavas v Sean O Heslins at 5.00 in Cloone – Ref. Kieran Moran
Annaduff v Bornacoola at 4.45 in Dromod – Ref. Sean McCartin

JFCA – Relegation SF Drumkeerin v Mohill at 5.00 in Aughnasheelin – Ref. James McCaffrey
JFCA – Relegation SF Aughawillan v Carrigallen at 5.00 in Drumreilly – Ref. Walter Sharpley

 

 

26-Aug-06 by Brendan Doyle – PRO