February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Jack Flynn
Leitrim 3-8, Roscommon 0-11
After a day of matches played under gloomy skies, the sun finally began to peek through the clouds during Leitrim’s Div. I senior football match with Roscommon at Gaelic Park on Sunday. Hardy fans who braved the elements for hours beforehand and were still in the stands for the day’s final match were treated to a well played, exciting game.
Leitrim used goals from each of its three full forwards as the spark for a 3-8 to 0-11 victory over Roscommon.
“I suppose we’ll accept [the win],” said Leitrim’s Sean Jones, one of the goal scorers. “It was not a great team performance, but we’ll take it any way it comes.”
Leitrim jumped out to a huge early lead, and looked as though they would leave Roscommon in the dust after Jones scored the match’s first point. Leitrim’s Doney Phelan found the back of the net with a nice goal. But more Leitrim points were finally answered by an Aiden Smith point for Roscommon. Jim Donahue and Phelan both put balls over the bar for Leitrim, providing their longest lead of the match.
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Phelan almost scored his second goal of the afternoon minutes after scoring his second point. Had his ball beaten Roscommon keeper Robert Stack, the score would have been 2-5 to 0-1, putting Leitrim for a lead.
As it was, however, the stage was set for a Roscommon comeback. They ran off four straight points before the end of the half to narrow Leitrim’s lead 1-5 to 0-5.
When the second half began, Leitrim began concentrating again.
“We sort of put our heads down for 10 minutes and let them back in the game,” Jones said.
After an Eoin Collins point to begin the half, Al Travers faked stick to the ground and put the ball into the open net for Leitrim’s second goal. Smith and Collins traded points for their respective sides before Jones added the back-breaking goal that put Leitrim firmly in control.
Breaking out of a headlock from a would-be Roscommon tackler, Jones advanced into the box and quickly sent a rocket high and to the right of the arms of an outstretched Stack.
Roscommon did not go off into the night easily, continuing to pick up points while Leitrim tried to hold on. Kevin O’Brien scored the last point of the match with little time left on the clock, providing the final score of the day.
Leitrim scorers: Phelan 1-3, Jones and Travers 1-1, Collins 0-2, Jim Donohue 0-1.
Roscommon: A Smith and I Smith 0-4; O’Brien 0-2, McGrath 0-1.