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Details

Date Time Competition Season
28 May 2022 2:00 pm Tailteann Cup 2022

Match Report

Tailteann Cup: Leitrim move into next round

Leitrim progressed through Round 1 in the Tailteann Cup with a famous five point victory over Antrim today at Avantcard Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada.

A first-half where Leitrim won their individual battles and Keith Beirne starred with five scores saw them in complete control. As Antrim missed numerous wides, a Shane Moran first-half goal saw the Andy Moran’s team eight points up at the break.

Pat Shivers’ four points and Peter Healy’s goal inspired an attempted Saffron comeback but Jack Heslin’s second-half finish for Leitrim helped them hold on as the game ended 2-14 to 1-12.

The Wild Rose County simply wanted it more this afternoon in a beautifully set Carrick-on-Shannon, and so they are the victors in this second ever Championship meeting with Antrim.

After a flat first-half where the home team were far more hungry and physical, Antrim did all they could in the second period but it wasn’t enough.

Keith Beirne as usual had the goalposts perfectly mapped out in his mind, scoring six points and five of which came in a first-half where his team were right up for it. Antrim’s Odhran Eastwood fisted over straight into the match but the visitors would only score twice more until the last minute of the half.

Moran’s men went two points clear moments later thanks to points from Beirne and captain David Bruen, and from here on they nearly played Antrim off the park for 35 minutes.

Beirne continued to kick over consistently while a brilliant solo score from Cillian McGloin and Shane Moran’s goal gave them an unprecedented eight point gap at the break.

The Saffrons really didn’t have their shooting boots on and they got just their fourth point right on the mark of the break through Dermot McAleese.

Enda McGinley needed big words at half-time as his side's body language had been completely off and the performance was much better for the remainder.

It looked bad for them though when Jack Heslin scored a second goal for the Connacht side after 39 minutes.

However the Saffs kept fighting and when skipper Peter Healy hit the net on 55 minutes they started to believe. Meanwhile Pat Shivers’ brilliance to kick four successful points in the half also helped their bid to catch Leitrim.

Moran did a great job of bringing on subs who would keep the pace in Leitrim’s game and be able to pluck away at scores as Mark Plunkett and Jordan Reynolds grabbed points off the bench.  After Beirne scored again in stoppage time to make his tally 0-6, moments later Shivers received a second yellow.

The hosts stayed alert to a potential comeback and managed the game well to earn a hugely impressive win over Antrim. Beirne, Moran, Heslin and Wrynn were stand out players and were a constant reply to Antrim’s sloppiness.

Leitrim

1Brendan Flynn Goalkeeper
2Paddy Maguire Defender
3Mark Diffley Defender
4Conor Reynolds Defender
19Jack Heslin 12 Defender 39'
11'
6David Bruen Defender 3'
20'
7James Rooney Defender
8Pearce Dolan Midfielder 41'
9Donal Wrynn Midfielder 31'
10Cillian McGloin 22 Forward 29'
11Keith Beirne Forward 1', 7', 11', 24', 30', 70+4'
23Shane Moran Midfielder 19'
43'
13Domhnaill Flynn 24 Forward
21Evan Sweeney 18 Forward 45'
15Riordan O’Rourke 17 Forward
5Shane Quinn Forward
12Mark Plunkett 19 Forward 67'
14Tom Prior Forward
16Nevin O’Donnell Goalkeeper
17Emlyn Mulligan 15 Forward 70+4'
18Darragh Rooney 21 Forward
20Dean McGovern Forward
22Jordan Reynolds 10 Forward 51'
24Conor Farrell 13 Defender
25Fergal McTague Defender
26Aaron Hoare Forward

Antrim

1Michael Byrne Goalkeeper
2Eoghan McCabe Defender
3Peter Healy Defender 56'
37'
4Patrick McCormick 18 Defender
5Marc Jordan 17 Defender
6Declan Lynch Defender
7Dermot McAleese Defender 34', 64'
8Kevin Small 22 Midfielder
9Conor Steward Midfielder 40'
10Patrick McBride Forward 18'
11Ryan Murray Forward
12Paddy McAleer Forward 49'
13Jamie Gribbin 19 Forward 10'
14Pat Shivers Forward 42', 55', 57', 70'
60'
70+5'
15Odhran Eastwood Forward 1'
16Chris Kerr Goalkeeper
17James Laverty 5 Defender 70+4'
18Barry McCormick 4 Defender
19Conor Murray 13 Forward
20Eoin Hynds Defender
21Dominic McEnhill Forward
22Ruairi McCann 8 Forward 50', 66'
23Sean O’Neill Defender
24Calum Higgins Forward
25Aidan McAleese Forward
26Cathal Hynds Defender
  • Full-time here in Carrick-on-Shannon and Leitrim get an impressive victory over Antrim to advance to the Northern section quarter-finals. It finishes 2-14 to 1-12

  • 75'

    Shivers gets a second yellow at the death

  • 74'

    Beirne with another score as Emlyn Mulligan and Laverty receive respective yellows

  • 70'

    Shivers with another score as five minutes are added on

  • 67'

    Plunket with an important kick over for Leitrim

  • 66'

    McCann gets another point for Antrim

  • 65'

    Plunkett goes just wide with a big goal chance as Leitrim miss the chance to put it to bed

  • 64'

    McAleese scores to make it a five point game

  • 60'

    A booking now for Shivers

  • 58'

    Conor Farrell on for Domhnaill Flynn

  • 57'

    Shivers with a third score

  • 56'

    Peter Healy brings the gap to seven points with a great finish

  • 55'

    Shivers with a second point as the Ulster side fight back

  • 52'

    Mark Plunkett replaces goal scorer Jack Heslin for Leitrim

  • 51'

    Sub Jordan Reynolds with a point for Moran's men

  • 50'

    Paddy McAleer gets a yellow before Ruari McCann kicks over

  • 48'

    Conor Murray also comes on for Jamie Gribbin for the Saffrons

  • 45'

    Sub for both teams. Barry McCormack on for Patrick McCormack for Antrim. Emyln Mulligan replaces O'Rourke for the Wild Rose County

  • 45'

    Evan Sweeney with a score

  • 43'

    Shivers gets a point back for the Saffrons and moments later Leitrim's Moran receives a yellow

  • 41'

    Conor Stuart gets a black card in the aftermath of the goal and then Pearce Dolan scores another point for Leitrim

  • 39'

    Heslin with a second Leitrim goal! Moran went on a drive which eventually led to Heslin flicking it into the net

  • 38'

    Cillian McGloin comes off injured and Jordan Reynolds comes on

  • 37'

    Antrim skipper Peter Healy kicks over the bar

  • Back underway here and Antrim make two changes at the break. Ruairi McCann and James Laverty replace Kevin Small and Marc Jordan

  • Half-time here in this second ever Championship meeting between Leitrim and Antrim and its 1-09 to 0-4. Andy Moran has his men right up for this one. Keith Beirne has starred kicking five points but in general the team have won nearly all the individual battles. The Saffrons on the other hand have shot poorly and their body language has been completely off too. Big words needed in the dressing room from McGinley

  • 34'

    McAleese finally gets a fourth point for Enda McGinley's team

  • 31'

    Donal Wrynn kicks a point as Leitrim slowly pull away

  • 30'

    Beirne reaches 0-5 after a mark and score

  • 29'

    Cillian McGloin with the score of the match after a brilliant run

  • 28'

    High and wide from Beirne

  • 25'

    Eastwood is the source of another Antrim wide

  • 24'

    Beirne adds a fourth score to his tally from a 45

  • 20'

    Yellow for Bruen

  • 19'

    Goal for Leitrim. Shane Moran flicks it in after an awkward high ball

  • 18'

    Patrick McBride pulls a score back for the travelling side

  • 17'

    Beirne goes wide with the resulting 45

  • 16'

    Riordan O'Rourke with a huge goal opportunity after a mix-up but Antrim scramble it off the line

  • 15'

    Gribbin with a wide

  • 11'

    Jack Heslin kicks over for Leitrim and Beirne follows with another point

  • 10'

    Jamie Gribbin with a lovely point off the outside of his foot for the Saffs

  • 7'

    Beirne with his second score to make it 0-3 to 0-1

  • 6'

    Declan Lynch drops an effort short into Brendan Flynn's hands

  • 5'

    Pat Shivers with Antrim's second wide after Beirne misses a great goal chance for their opponents

  • 3'

    Captain David Bruen puts the hosts ahead

  • 3'

    Dermot McAleese kicks wide

  • 1'

    Keith Beirne kicks over to level for Leitrim

  • 1'

    Odhran Eastwood with the first score, fisting over

  • We're underway in very sunny Carrick-on-Shannon

  • The open draw for the quarter-final stage will take place on Monday morning and will once again be based on North and South. The winner of this game could face any of the winners of Cavan v Down, Longford v Fermanagh, and Sligo v London, which all take place this afternoon as well.

  • Team news: For the home team its Pearce Dolan and Donal Wrynn taking up the midfield while Keith Beirne comes back into the starting team. Ryan O'Rourke is out injured but his brother Riordan starts at corner forward. As for the visitors, Michael Byrne is in goal with captain Peter Healy in front of him at full-back. Dangerman Ryan Murray starts on the 40 with Paddy McAleer and Patrick McBride either side of him on the wings.

  • Both sides failed to reach their provincial finals losing to Galway and Cavan respectively so they find themselves here at the Tailteann Cup with a second chance at earning some silverware. Antrim will be favourites competing in a division ahead of Leitrim but Andy Moran's team are expected to stand up to the challenge having shown positive signs in the Connacht Championship.

  • Con Sheehan reporting as Leitrim face Antrim in Round 1 of the Tailteann Cup. Throw-in is 2pm at Avantcard Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada

Past Meetings

(Round 3)
2-17 1-19
NFL Division 4
Casement Park

(Round 3)
0-14 1-10
NFL Division 4
Pairc Sean MacDiarmada

(Round 1)
0-15 0-5
NFL Division 4
Corrigan Park

Ground

Pairc Sean MacDiarmada
Avant Money Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada, Carrick on Shannon, Co. Leitrim, N41 XE89, Ireland

21 year old sports journalist from Drogheda. Student at Dublin City University. Drogheda United Correspondent for FinalWhistle.ie