Leitrim Gaels clinical goalscoring helped them to their first win in Round 1 of the Connacht Gold Leitrim Senior Football Championship tonight against Glencar/Manor tonight despite a last minute goal scare in Boggaun.

Paul Prior's Leitrim Village side had the width of a coat of paint to thank as Donnacha Devaney's last gasp injury time opportunity appeared to be blocked down, still hit against the bottom of the post and two Manor forwards got in each other's way and between them sent the ball wide rather than into the net with Brendan Flynn stranded.

It would have been completed a comeback for the home side, who went into injury time six points behind their visitors. 8 minutes later the commotion left the northerner's manager Martin Greene on his knees as he realised how close they had come to rescuing a point.

The real story of the game was told through the clinical attitude in front of goal. While both sides missed changes from range with the wide count mounting, particularly in the early stages, it was the ability of the South Leitrim side to find the back of the net that proved the undoing of the 2019 County Champions.

Two phenomenal saves from Manor keeper Anthony McDonald, the first of which midway through the first half was from the boot of Donal Casey, kept his side in the game at important parts, but when Stephen Goldrick found the net from the penalty spot with 20 minutes remaining on the clock there only really looked like one winner.

The penalty rubbed a little salt into the wounds of Glencar/Manor who had seen Brendan Flynn produce another Championship penalty save, this time from Niall Brady after the Manor attacker had been hauled down in the box just minutes earlier.

Shaun Chandler capped an impressive performance with a goal to put the visitors in control of the game before Stephen Goldrick was to find his second, and the Gael's third, goal in the closing stages of normal time.

Evan Sweeney hadn't read the script as the game entered injury time with a 6 point gap between the sides. Sweeney added three points after extensive pressure by Manor for a longer than expected injury period to leave a single score between the sides. Devaney's late effort almost bridged the gap but the bottom of the post came to Leitrim Gael's rescue.

Leitrim Gaels will be happy with taking a championship scalp off Manor for the first time, while Manor sent a strong signal that, despite murmurs about rebuilding and transition phases, they can't be discounted at this level until the final whistle sounds.

Both sides will have to wait until Sunday to discover their next opponents in this year's championship but for now both sides will be looking to improve on their overall performance as the season progresses.