Tailteann Cup Group 4, round two
Leitrim 2-7 Fermanagh 1-19
Fermanagh manager Kieran Donnelly was pleased to see his side secure the spoils as they claimed a nine-point win over Leitrim in Carrick-on-Shannon on Saturday evening.
The Ernemen had appeared to be cruising in the game as they led by eight at the break, 1-9 to 0-4, but two quickfire goals for Leitrim from Paul Keaney and Mark Plunkett had the home side back within two early in the second half.
However, Fermanagh regained control and rattled off a string of points over the remainder of the contest to ease to the victory.
“We probably had to win the game two or three times,” said Donnelly.
“I felt we controlled the ball well in that critical period in the first half after they had a good start. I thought we got through the phases well and our shot selection was massively improved today because we felt we were forcing shots the last day.
“The start of the second half was a killer period for us but I thought a lot of our key players stepped up at that point.”
Fermanagh had let a seven-point lead slip against Wexford the week before in a game that finished in a draw, so Donnelly was happy with the response when Leitrim hit back at them.
“It was something we talked about at half time, and we were very determined not to replicate it again, but Leitrim have plenty of good forwards and they just got a run on us.
“Their first goal was fortuitous, but the second goal was something we should have stopped. But I think we outscored them eight scores to one over that next 15-minute period or so and that shows character and leadership and a lot of our leaders stepped up.
“We now have a real bounce going into the Antrim game and a lot of players are pushing now for a place in the starting 15 for that game,” he added.
Leitrim had begun the game brightly with Oisin McLoughlin landing two early marks while Keaney was denied a goal by Erne netminder Sean McNally and Tom Prior fired another effort wide.
Fermanagh, with Sean Quigley pulling the strings, took control after this with the Roslea man rattling over four points while Ryan Lyons and Tommy McCaffrey also chipped in with points as they moved into a 0-7 to 0-4 lead.
And then came the key score of the half as Quigley’s quick free picked out Lyons who finished to the net as Fermanagh went in 1-9 to 0-4 ahead at half time.
The game was right back in the melting pot though after Keaney palmed to the net and Plunkett finished low past McNally inside the opening four minutes of the second half.
However, Fermanagh regained their composure and with Josh Largo Elis, Ryan Jones, Garvan Jones Conor McShea, Luke Flanagan, Brandon Horan and Lyons all rattling over scores they pulled away again to seal the victory.
Leitrim: D Maxwell; P Maguire, M Diffley, O McLoughlin (0-2 marks); C McGloin, S Quinn, A Flynn; P Dolan (0-1), D Wrynn (0-1); D Rooney, P Keaney (1-2, 0-2 frees), M Plunkett (1-0); J Heslin, B McNulty, T Prior (0-1)
Subs: D Flynn for McLoughlin (55), C Farrell for McGloin (56), R Oberwan for Prior (60), P Moran for Plunkett (68), T Quinn for Heslin (68)
Fermanagh: S McNally; J Largo Elis (0-1), C Cullen, L Flanagan (0-1 mark); S McGullion, L Cullen, D McCusker; R Jones (0-2), B Horan (0-1); C McShea (0-1), R Lyons (1-5, 0-3 frees), R McCaffrey; T McCaffrey (0-1), S Quigley (0-4, 0-2 frees), U Kelm (0-1)
Subs: G Cavanagh for R McCaffrey (h-t), G Jones (0-2) for J Largo Elis (51), C Jones for Quigley (56), A Breen for McGullion (66), O Smyth for McCusker (70)
Referee: Paul Faloon (Down)
