Connacht SFC First round/Leitrim 1-12 London 2-5:Leitrim earned a date with Galway in the semi-final of the Connacht football championship after a deserved four-point victory over London at Ruislip yesterday. A slippery surface made conditions far from ideal for both sides but the visitors coped much better as they also enjoyed the advantage of a strong wind in the opening period.
Although London had the fillip of an early first-minute lead through a Darragh Kinneavey pointed free, Leitrim responded immediately when Conor Regan picked off a point from play within a minute.
The Leitrim midfield partnership of McCloskey and Michael Duignan were also well on top for much of the opening quarter. They should have enjoyed more than just a 0-4 to 0-1 lead and would have been further in front had Brian McBrearty not made a superb save to deny Donal Brennan a goal in the seventh minute.
Leitrim continued to dominate much of the second quarter to lead by 0-8 to 0-2. However, Declan Maxwell could also have had a goal for Leitrim when put through by Regan in the 20th minute but again McBrearty denied a certain goal.
Trailing by six points approaching the end of normal time, London were given a real boost when centre back Conor Beirne joined the attack to set up Chris Donnellan who sent a superb kick to the net to leave just three points between the sides.
Just when London thought they were back in contention, Donal Brennan scored a goal for Leitrim just before half-time to give Leitrim a 1-9 to 1-2 lead at the break.
On the resumption London desperately attempted to get back into contention and although they outscored Leitrim 0-3 to 0-1 in the third quarter they never recovered from the dismissal of Conor Beirne in the 48th minute for a foul on Conor Regan.
London managed to hold Leitrim scoreless for 20 minutes of the second period but by the time substitute Niall Clinton scored their second goal with five minutes remaining it was already a lost cause for the home side who finished with 13 men when Paul Hehir was dismissed for a second yellow card after a foul on Regan three minutes from time.
LEITRIM: N Gill; C Kennedy, M McGuinness, D Reynolds; B Prior, J McKeon, S Foley; G McCloskey, M Duignan; C Regan (0-1), D Maxwell, M Foley (0-2 frees); D Brennan (1-1), J Glancy (0-1), C Duignan (0-7, four frees). Subs: D O'Connor for Foley, F McBrian for Glancy, S Canning for Regan.
LONDON: B McBrearty, R Walsh, M Kennedy, S Boyle, E Kavanagh, C Beirne, P Morgan, P O'Donoghue, D Meehan, F Cleary, S Hehir, C Donnellan (1-1), G Kane, P Hehir (0-1), D Kinneavey (0-2, frees). Subs: E Brennan for Morgan, S McKenzie-Smith for Meehan, N Clinton (1-1, point free) for Cleary, K Waldron for Kane.
Referee: M Hughes (Tyrone).
