La álainn for Leitir Moír as they clinch senior status

Naomh Anna Leitir Móir 3-8

Menlough Skehana 1-10

Tomás Keating at Oughterard

History was made in Oughterard last Saturday, as Naomh Anna, Leitir Móir captured the intermediate county title in a thrilling encounter, thus meaning they will ply their trade in the ladies senior football championship for the first time in their history next year.

It has been quite a success story for the Connemara club, as it had only won the Junior A title in 2018, and despite losing to Tourlestrane in Connacht final, it won the All-Ireland Junior 7s competition that same year.

It’s a huge achievement for any club to win two county titles in the space of three years, but particularly for a club the size of Leitir Mór’s. There must be something in the water out there, as their men’s team captured an intermediate Connacht title in 2010.

Mícheál Ó Tuathail’s charges came into this final having beaten last year’s runners-up, Tuam/Cortoon, 1-8 to 1-7 in their semi-final in Tuam, courtesy of a clutch free from skipper Mairéad Ní Loingsigh at the death; while Menlough/Skehana defeated Clonbur, 3-9 to 1-13 in Joyce Country.

In any game, goals are significant, and their timing in particular can swing the momentum of proceedings and on occasions, decide the victor. That rang true for Leitir Mór, as the sides were dead-locked at 0-4 apiece approaching half-time. However, the hard-working Ciara Ní Ógain and Clíodhna Ní Cheallaigh both rattled the net in injury-time as they led 2-4 to 0-4 at the interval, despite striking eight wides in the opening half.

Their third goal came four minutes into injury-time at the end of the game as county star Ríona Ní Fhlatharta’s powerful shot put them 3-8 to 0-10 to the good.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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