July 3rd 2000

Leitrim are back in the big time

THE EULOGIES were being prepared at half-time. The size of the county, the lack of championship games, the small pick. Three Roscommon goals in six minutes stabbed any hopes of an upset.

But what happened next will be craved in Leitrim pub folklore for ever more.  This was a deserved victory. A victory of positive football and hard graft over negative football and complacency. A victory of flowing play over incessant fouling. A victory of romanticism over pragmatism. We are in the midst of the championship of shocks.

On a surreal day in Dr Hyde Park Leitrim footballers, whose summers are usually shorter than their coast line, deflated the perceived might of Roscommon.   They strolled around the pitch before throw-in, the team in green dwarfed-to a man-by the custard shirts. Half of Leitrim's eroding population must have been at the ground. And they must have been worried.

It became a matter of resignation twenty-five minutes into the game. Their full-back line wilted in the sun, letting the razor-sharp Roscommon forwards in for three goals that Gareth Phelan was helpless to stop. Until then, there had been hope. The under-dogs were holding their own. But after Frankie Dolan caught Donal Casserly's high ball comfortably, shrugging off the challenge of Micheal McGuinness with ease, and almost ripped the seams of the net with his shot, the green half of Hyde Park feared the worst. Worse than the worst, in fact.  The only Leitrim people who didn't stop believing were the players themselves. Yet again, the rise of Roscommon has been greatly exaggerated. Leitrim obviously sensed that. Despite being 3-3 to 0-5 down after that six minute blitz, they steadied the ship going into the interval. Aidan Rooney popped over a couple of frees and Leitrim went in, still believing.

And how they translated that onto the pitch. They limited Roscommon to two points in the second half, their bellies torched by belief and beguiled fans and neutrals alike with a spirited display that has rarely being seen by any team this summer.

In the disastrous first half, Dermot Reynolds was a shining light in the Leitrim out-fit. He ran tirelessly, tracking Fergal O'Donnell and, briefly, Derek Duggan. He latched onto any breaking ball near him, attempting to manufacture attacks. But, up front, the quality simply didn’t seem to be there.

This was in stark contrast to Roscommon. Every time they attacked in the first half, a goal seemed a distinct possibility. Duggan was having one of those days he is capable of, when nothing goes right. In the opening seconds, Roscommon won a free. Duggan stepped up 30 yards out, a free he usually puts over in his sleep. The ball fell into the grateful hands of Phelan.

Two minutes later, Lohan put Roscommon ahead, slipping from John McKeon, the 19 year old making his debut at full-back, and eased the ball over the bar. It would take Paul Kieran until the second half to deal with the strength of Casserly and Gillolly in the middle.

However, that didn't affect his placed ball form. After Aidan Rooney was fouled making a break for goal, Kieran stepped up and slotted the ball over. That was one of the characteristics of the day. Leitrim trying to feed their full-forward line, Roscommon pulling and dragging.

It would cost the home side. Eight of the victor’s points came from frees, Aidan Rooney and Kieran sharing responsibilities.

Leitrim actually went two points up early on, but their tendency to nap at the back was showing. O’Donnell and Grehan both glided in for points, before O'Donnell picked out Dolan brilliantly in the 19th minute. The St. Brigid’s man was allowed to wend through Leitrim's defence and bury the ball past Phelan. For the next five minutes, apart from two Rooney frees (one a massive kick from 60 yards), the ball seemed permanantly lodged in the Leitrim square.

Grehan floated a ball into the square in the 24th minute, a mess of Leitrim defenders couldn't clear it and Gillolly ghosted in for a goal. From bad to worse, seconds later, Dolan got his second goal. Half-time, 3-3 to 0-8. The tattered script was being followed, to the letter.

Before, thirty-minutes of magic that will live long in the memory of each Leitrim person that saw it. It started in the 37th minute, when Gareth Foley, who would be one of the heroes, weaved through a wall of Roscommon shirts to put the ball soaring over the bar from 40 yards. It was a fantastic score, and hot-wired the Leitrim recovery.

Ten minutes later, Kieran, who was now pulling the strings in the centre, swung a ball into the danger area with his left foot. Foley was at the far post, to palm the ball into the path of the on-rushing Reynolds. The half back was quicker to dive for the ball than Derek Thompson, and fisted the ball into the net. The game was level. Leitrim were buzzing. The defence was tightened, Colin Regan and Derek Kelleher shackling any Roscommon creativity.

Although, Dolan put Roscommon in front a moment later, it would be for the last time in the match. Seamus Quinn, finally playing to his potential, found sub, Fintan McBrien. Ahead again. Kieran was superb all afternoon, and played a critical part in the final two scores that secure this famous victory. Firstly, a free. Then, with the game level again, after O'Donnell equalised, Kieran burrowed through a frantic Roscommon defence, and released Quinn. The captain, a hero of 94, steadied himself and tapped the ball between the posts.

There was even time for the obligatory red card of this year's championship. Rooney, tarnishing a good day at the office, tripped Casserly and went off for his second booking. The free was wasted. Leitrim held out for a nerve-shattering three minutes, each Leitrim voice imploring Niall Barrett to blow up. He finally did. And sealed a day that will shine in the history of Leitrim. Six years ago, the county captured our hearts when they captured the Connacht title. No one even contemplated what happened in Hyde Park. No one but a group of footballers from the smallest population base in the championship. The drought goes on for Roscommon. No championship victory in Hyde Park since 1992, their reputation as great under achievers further consolidated. But, this was an afternoon all about sport’s ability to shatter our sense of permeance.

LEITRIM: G Phelan; D Kelleher, J McKeown, M Reyonlds, C Regan, C Murray, D Reyonlds; S Quinn, P Farrell; G Foley, P Kiernan, R Haslett, A Rooney, A Cullen, P Kenny Subs. P McDermott for Haslette(h.t), F McBrien for Cullen (41 mins, O McGuinness for Cullen(64 mins)
Scorers: P Kieran (0-5, 4 frees), A Rooney (0-4, all frees), D Reynolds (1-0), S Quinn, G Foley, F McBrien, P Kenny (0-1 each).

ROSCOMMON: D Thompson; D Galvin, R Owens, B Burke, M Ryan, D McDonald, D Donlon; D Casserly, J Gillooly, F O'Donnell, F Grahan, D Duggan, A Nolan, G Lohan, F Dolan Subs, S Casey for Duggan(h-t), N Dineen for Nolan(53 mins), E Lohan for Casey (60 mins) Ref N Barrett (Cork) Att: 14,000.
Scorers: Roscommon: F Dolan (2-1)J Gillolly (1-0), F O'Donnell (0-2), F Grehan, D Duggan, G Lohan (0-1 each).


© Irish Examiner, 2000.
 
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