Close shave for Leitir Mor

Date Published: 05-Nov-2009

NAOMH Eanna Leitir Mór almost came unstuck at Pearse Stadium on Sunday and just about survived a late Cloone rally to hang on for a one-point victory in the semifinal of the Connacht intermediate club football championship.

An Spidéal advanced easily against Leitrim opposition Aughavas in the earlier match but any notions that their South Leitrim neighbours, Cloone, would similarly be pushovers were banished immediately as the visitors tore into Leitir Mór from the off and raced into a four points to no-score lead after 10 minutes.

No, this was a different kettle of fish to the junior match and if Cloone had shown a bit more composure in front of goal, and if another minute was added on at the end, they would surely have at least earned a draw.

As it was, Leitir Mór mustered up their trademark never-say-die’ attitude when the game was in the melting pot and they just about survived and scraped into the final with a fairly ordinary performance.

In fairness to the Gaeltacht men, they were well on top in the second-half and totally dominated possession but a sterling defensive effort from Cloone meant Leitir Mór’s dominance wasn’t translated on the scoreboard.

Leitir Mór just couldn’t seem to put Cloone away and were hanging onto a perilous three-point lead when the Leitrim men woke up again nearing full-time. Full-forward Damien O’Donnell kick-started the revival and cut Leitir Mór’s advantage to just two points, raising a white flag with just one-minute of normal time remaining, Cloone’s first score since the 24th minute of the first half.

O’Donnell bottled it though in injury time and sent a relatively easy free well wide before Micheal Lohan narrowed the gap to just one point. That miss was to prove decisive.

The Galway champions were on the rack at this point, looked in disarray and the relief in the crowd was palpable when the final whistle was blown from the resulting kick-out – manager Ciarán Ó Fátharta knows had another play been allowed to develop, Cloone had the momentum and you wouldn’t have bet against them equalising.

The two minutes time added- on had expired however and Leitir Mór survived and probably deserved to, but they will be wondering this week how they kept Cloone scoreless for more than 35 minutes and yet were lucky not to be caught in the end.

Leitir Mór struggled to cope early on and only settled on 15 minutes when Daithi Mac Donnchadha landed their first score of the day with a close range free. The Connemara men were level minutes later when an absolutely visionary pass from Mac Donnchadha split open the Cloone defence and played Cormac Ó Conghaile into space. The wing forward thought about fisting a point before his killer instinct got the better of him and he drilled into the Cloone net.

Mac Donnchadha then gave Leitir Mór the lead for the first time but Cloone were back in front 1-2 to 1-5 minutes later when Donal Brennan pointed just before Adrian Nicholls raised a green flag, with a fisted effort after an initial save by keeper Eoghan Ó Conghaile, although there was a suspicion of a square ball in the follow-up.

The goal stood and Cloone were sitting pretty heading to the dressing room but Mac Donnchadha narrowed their lead to just one point with two more late frees before the break. Two Ferdia Breathnach points in quick succession immediately after the restart

put the Galway men back in front and Mac Donnchadha then stretched that lead further with another free and it was looking like Leitir Mór might coast home.

But the side captained by Fiachra Breathnach just couldn’t seem to drive home their advantage and only scored one more point, an effort from substitute Patrick Mark Ó Fátharta 13 minutes into the half which turned out to be the eventual winner.

It proved just enough to carry the day but Leitir Mór have plenty of room for improvement, particularly in the scoring department, if they are to make any impact in the final.

They were well served by Eoghan Ó Conghaile, Seosamh Seoighe, Ciaran Bairéad, Cristóir Ó Flatharta, Fiachra Breathnach, Cormac Ó Conghaile, and Daithi Mac Donnchadha.