Leitrim withstand late Wexford rally to reach intermediate decider

TG4 All-Ireland IFC semi-final

Leitrim 3-8

 Wexford 2-10

 By Daire Walsh

Leitrim survived a late onslaught from Wexford at Parnell Park to book their place in this year’s TG4 All-Ireland intermediate championship final.

Seven points behind — 3-8 to 1-7 — with a little over three minutes of normal time left to play, a determined Wexford outfit registered 1-3 without reply in a frantic finale to a pulsating last-four affair. The Slaneysiders even had a chance at the death to force the game into extra-time, but after an Aoife Cullen free floated wide of the target, Leitrim were guaranteed a spot in the competition’s August 4 decider at Croke Park alongside Tyrone.

In a lively opening to the contest, Leitrim’s Laura O’Dowd (whose sister Eilish won a TG4 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship title with Dublin in 2023) traded points with Wexford full-forward Kellie Kearney.

O’Dowd added her second of the game after the play was held up for a number of minutes to allow treatment for injured Model County corner-back Sarah Harding Kenny. While Wexford eventually equalised with an Aoife Cullen point, O’Dowd and Siomha Quinn later split the uprights to give Leitrim some breathing space.

Their Slaneyside counterparts kept in touch with a fine score by Tara Doyle, but right on the stroke of half-time, Muireann Devaney superbly shook the net from close-range to propel Leitrim into a 1-4 to 0-3 interval lead.

Wexford suffered a further set-back when Aisling Halligan was sin-binned two minutes into the second period, but Lizzy Kent’s side came roaring back into contention when Halligan’s half-back partner Ciara Banville fired a low shot past opposite netminder Michelle Monaghan moments later.

This ramped up the pressure on Leitrim, but after a pointed free from captain Michelle Guckian helped them to settle again, Jonny Garrity’s charges ruthlessly added goals through Ailbhe Clancy and Devaney in the 38th and 40th minutes respectively.

Although Wexford raised white flags via the boots of Clara Donnelly, Doyle, Cullen and Amanda Power either side of the final-quarter mark, similar efforts by Devaney, Clancy and substitute Leah Fox looked set to ease Leitrim into a first intermediate final since 2007.

Wexford subsequently offered themselves a lifeline when an Aoife Cullen goal was supplemented by points from Grace Donovan, Chloe Foxe and Maria Byrne, but Leitrim did just enough to hold out.

Scorers – Leitrim: M Devaney 2-1, A Clancy 1-1 (0-1f), L O’Dowd 0-3, M Guckian 0-1 (1f), S Quinn, L Foxe 0-1 each.

Wexford: A Cullen 1-2 (0-1f), C Banville 1-0, T Doyle 0-2, M Byrne, A Power, C Donnelly, C Foxe, K Kearney, G Donovan 0-1 each.

 LEITRIM: M Monaghan; E Quigley, C Tyrell, C Owens; S Reynolds, K Bruen, E Bruen; N Tighe, M Guckian; O Flynn, L O’Dowd, M Devaney; A Clancy, S Quinn, A Redican. Subs: L Fox for Quinn (43), M Murphy for Quigley (53), L McKeon for Flynn (57), B O’Rourke for Clancy (58).

 WEXFORD: S McCarthy; K English, M Byrne, S Harding Kenny; C Banville, A Halligan, A Power; R Murphy, B McDonald; C Donnelly, C Foxe, A Cullen, C Ní Nualláin, K Kearney, T Doyle. Subs: L Doyle for Harding Kenny (7), C Murray for Ní Nualláin (37), G Donovan for McDonald (46).

 Referee: Jonathan Murphy (Carlow).