Connacht SFC quarter-final
New York 0-15 Leitrim 0-15 (after extra-time, New York win 2-0 on penalties)
THE 23rd time proved a charm for New York as they registered a dramatic, historic victory over Leitrim in the Connacht Senior Football Championship on Saturday night.
Going into the game at New York’s Gaelic Park, the men from the Big Apple were still waiting on their first Championship victory since entering the Connacht SFC in 1999, but that wait ended with a penalty shoot-out win in front of thousands of jubilant fans.
Managed by south Armagh native Johnny McGeeney, a rusty New York went into Saturday night’s game very much the underdogs against a Leitrim side who had the benefit of a full League campaign behind them.
However, New York are a side laced with talent from home, including two-time All-Ireland winner with Dublin Shane Carthy.
Throughout the 70 minutes of normal time and the 20 minutes of extra-time, the Connacht quarter-final in the Bronx was fiercely contested, with New York holding a 0-7 to 0-6 lead at the end of THE first half thanks to a late Carthy point.
Leitrim’s prolific target man Keith Beirne had helped the visitors into a two-point lead 10 minutes into the second half, but McGeeney’s side levelled and hit the front again through goalkeeper Michael Cunningham’s converted free.
Beirne looked to have snatched it for Leitrim until Carthy, who was born in New York, forced extra-time with a fantastic last-ditch point, eight minutes into injury-time, that set Gaelic Park alight.
Under the lights, both teams missed their opening two penalties, with Tiuernan Mathers and Killian Butler failing to convert for New York, while Paul Keaney and Keith Beirne were likewise culpable for Leitrim.
The stalemate was broken in the third round when former Down player Niall Madine kept his cool to slot down the middle, only for Shane Quinn of Leitrim and New York’s Jack Reilly to both hit the crossbar before Evan Sweeney shot wide for Leitrim.
With the stakes rising with every kick, it was left it to the home-grown Mikey Brosnan to hold his nerve and blast to the top left corner of the net in a history-making kick for the home side.
There was then a mass pitch invasion of Gaelic Park as New York revelled in the moment and Leitrim trudged towards the flight home.
The Exiles will now need to get their feet back on the ground in time for their semi-final meeting with Sligo, while Leitrim will attempt to regroup for the Tailteann Cup.
Connacht SFC quarter-final
London 0-12 Sligo 2-20
THERE were no surprises in Ruislip on Saturday as Sligo picked up where they left off in the league with a demolition of a poor London side.
In what was the first game of the 2023 All-Ireland SFC, the visitors built up a 0-7 to 0-2 lead after 22 minutes and the points of Luke Towey, Nathan Mullen and Sean Carrabine (free) sent them in at the break leading by eight, 0-12 to 0-4.
Chris Farely got the Exiles off the mark early in the second-half, but Sligo kept the points coming and a goal from Carrabine had them 1-15 to 0-7 ahead with 20 minutes to go.
Pat Spillane also had the ball in the London net 10 minutes later to put some sparkle on the Sligo victory. Tony McEntee’s men will now turn their attention to a semi-final date with New York next weekend.
