Leitrim V Longford ladies junior semi final

THE TG4 All-Ireland ladies junior football final will be an all
Connacht affair after Leitrim set up a meeting with neighbours Sligo
following a semi-final victory over Longford at Hyde Park on Saturday.

 

Leitrim produced a sensational second half performance to overwhelm
a Longford side who were looking good for a large portion of the
game.

 

Longford, minus star player Sharon Treacy because of injury, led
1-5 to 0-6 at half-time with the goal coming from a 20th minute
Denise Murtagh penalty.

 

The Leinster side started the second half positively and points
by Murtagh and Edel Quinn extended their advantage to leave a goal
between the sides after 34 minutes.

 

However, they failed to score again until the 53rd minute during
which time a rampant Leitrim side hit 1-9 without reply.

 

Leitrim were simply unstoppable during that period – winning
pretty much every ball and Longford couldn’t get outside their
own 45 metre line.

 

Sinead Quinn started the scoring spree with a 36th minute point
to leave it 0-7 to 1-7. Quinn and Mary McKeown tagged over a point
apiece inside the next two minutes to leave the minimum between
the sides before Lorraine Brennan rattled home the all important
goal.

 

The Cloone girl gathered possession just around the 14 metre line
and as she ran through she unleashed an unstoppable shot to the
top right hand corner of the Longford goal in the 40th minute.

 

It was the first time Leitrim led in the match after chasing Longford
from the very off but once they took control there was only ever
going to be one winner.

 

Player of the match Eimear McGlade, Quinn (3), Aoife Kelly and
Maeve Quinn all scored points over the next seven minutes to put
Leitrim out of reach with a 1-15 to 1-7 lead in the 52nd minute.

 

A converted free by Murtagh ended Longford’s drought a minute
later but it was too little too late. Leitrim will meet Sligo in
the final at Croke Park on October 1.

 

LEITRIM: L Loughlin; E Kelly, S Brennan, M Stenson; M McKeon (0-2),
E McGlade (0-2), T Mylott; M Quinn (0-1), S McLoughlin; L Brennan
(1-0), S Quinn (0-6), S Kerrigan (0-1); AM Cox (0-3, 3f), A Sweeney,
A Kelly (0-2). Subs: C Creegan for Sweeney (23 mins); A Conlan for
Kerrigan (56 mins)

 

LONGFORD: M Kilkenny; S Moran, M Carrigy, M McElvaney; A Matthews,
Y Barden, D Leavy; S McGowan, AM Bratten (0-1); F Farrell, E Powell
(0-1), E Dooley; C Delaney, E Quinn (0-1), D Murtagh (1-5, 3f, 1
penalty). Subs: S Gilligan for Matthews (26 mins); C Hannon for
Farrell (42 mins)

 

REFEREE: E Jones (Tyrone)