Leitrim will hope to get one over neighbours Sligo when the sides meet in an all-Connacht Tailteann Cup Quarter-Final at Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada this afternoon (3pm).
The counties have looked closely matched this season and a proper contest could ensue as each will look to stay in the race to become the inaugural Tailteann cup winners.
Reaching an inter-county semi-final would be a big occasion for both sides who may sense the competition provides them with a realistic opportunity for inter-county glory.
Both counties played in Division Four of this year’s National League and it was Sligo that had the better of things in that competition.
The Yeats County missed out on reaching the division’s final by just a single league point to finish in third place, recording five wins and two losses.
They did, however, place above Leitrim (fourth) after they defeated the Ridge County 2-16 to 2-10 in the final league round at Markievicz Park in March.
That fixture saw two early first-half goals scored by both sides in a ferocious start. Patrick O’Connor found the net twice for Sligo while Jack Heslin and Keith Beirne struck for Leitrim.
The game had an edge to it and both sides had their stand-out players sent off. Beirne scored 1-2 before he saw red along with Sligo’s Sean Carrabine (0-4) on 40 minutes.
As the game progressed the visitors couldn’t cope with Sligo’s point-scoring and the Magpies won out comfortably in the end.
Since then, The counties have had similar summer form.
Leitrim defeated London after a tight clash at McGovern Park but were heavily defeated by Galway in the next round to see them enter the Tailteann Cup.
Andy Moran’s men went on to defeat Antrim by 2-14 to 1-12 to see them into this afternoon’s Quarter-Final.
Sligo travelled to New York for their opening Championship game where they emerged victorious by four points at Gaelic Park.
A 12-point home defeat to Roscommon followed though but Sligo bounced back to defeat London 3-15 to 2-16 at Markievicz last week to setup today’s clash with Leitrim.
Despite previous form, Tony McEntee’s side find themselves the slight underdogs ahead of this afternoon’s fixture as Leitrim will be buoyed a vocal home support that will look to get their county over the line.
