N.Y. GAA: Leitrim win a game best forgotten

By Mike Fitzpatrick

Leitrim 1-9, Westmeath 0-6

Division holders Leitrim came into this Div. 1 football game knowing that a win was crucial if they were to maintain a glimmer of hope in holding on to their crown. Westmeath have already qualified for the semifinals, so there was not as much pressure on Philip Slevin’s side Sunday at Gaelic Park. The game itself, however, was a messy affair. The referee never seemed to get involved throughout the game, and, unfortunately, it teetered on the brink of a mass brawl, which seemed to be imminent any second during this dull event.

Neither side really grabbed a hold of the match during the early stages, and all we really witnessed were a number of meaningless tussles on behalf of both teams, which should really have resulted in bookings, but alas did not. Neither side can afford to have any more cautions, which may result in suspensions, but this didn’t seem to register with some of the players on view this day. Having witnessed a great football game only minutes before between Monaghan and Rockland, it was a nasty crash back to earth for the spectators who remained on for this dreadful affair.

The mood was set early on when Westmeath’s Brian McCabe had a seemingly innocent goal disallowed. Cathal Kenny attempted to erase this somewhat by scoring a point and narrowly missing another effort. Sean Jones replied twice in quick succession for Leitrim, and John Lynch scored another to put the Leitrim men further ahead. Mike Joe Hennessy made an appearance for Leitrim near the interval and did well, but even the appearance of Godzilla and a chorus of Baywatch beauties would have found it difficult to liven this game up.

Westmeath seemed to wilt after the break, though some good scores from Brian McCabe, Mike Healy and a fine point from Cathal Kenny seemed to drag them back into this encounter, Leitrim proved to be too strong. Leitrim substitute Brian Mullins added a little excitement by scoring a well-executed goal, and Sean Jones increased his tally along with John Donoghue and John Lynch, but all in all it was a sad encounter with no real excitement.

Like a bull with no horns, the match at Gaelic Park threatened and grimaced, but at the end of the day, all we were left with was a low scoring encounter and a lot of disgruntled players, annoyed with the game, each other and God knows what else.

Best on the day for Leitrim were Sean Jones, who proved the only light at the end of a long tunnel, and Westmeath’s Frank Molloy, who saved his team with a number of excellent point-blank range saves from Leitrim’s Sean Jones and Tom McHugh.

Leitrim scorers: Joe Madden, Fergus O’Callaghan, John O’Brien, John McGuinness, Neville Dunne, Mike Brosnan, Jim Donoghue (0-2) John Meehan, John Lynch (0-2), Nick Darcy, Kieran Traynor, John Donoghue (0-2), Sean Jones (0-4), Tom McHugh, Al Travers. Subs — Mike Joe Hennessy, Brian Mullins.

Westmeath: Frank Molloy, Mark Twomey, John Markey, David Newman, Tommy Moriarty, Mike Healy (0-), Jimmy Hughes, Eddie Green, Louis Holland, Cathal Kenny (0-2), Brian McCabe (0-1), Juergen Warner (0-1), Terry Goodwyn, Kieran McManus, David Fitzgerald (0-1).