Late points from O Ceallaigh and Breathnach swing it for Leitir Mór

Killererin 0-14

THEY left it very late, and almost let it slip, but Naomh Anna Leitir Mór staged a rousing comeback to cause one of the shocks of the first round of the Galway senior football championship over the weekend, beating Killererin by one point at Pearse Stadium on Sunday.

Trailing by four points at the break, the Connemara men impressed as they scored ten second-half points, including two in injury-time, which sealed the win.

They had ample opportunities to have won it more comfortably – including spurned goal chances – but that added to the excitement at the climax as Killererin pushed for a late equalising score in the sixth minute of injury time, when ‘at least five minutes’ added on had been advertised.

Seán Andy Ó Ceallaigh and Fiachra Breathnach landed the two late winning scores, which put Leitir Mór three points to the good in injury time, 0-15 to 0-12. But there was still fight in Killererin and they pulled it back to the narrowest of margins again with a brace of frees from Padraic Joyce.

The Barnaderg men then launched one last attack, after Leitir Mór spurned an opportunity to land an insurance point, but there wasn’t to be a grandstand finish to force extra-time as a bunched Leitir Mór defence clung on.

The final whistle was greeted with as much relief as it was joy, because if Leitir Mór lost this one, they’d only have themselves to blame, for their wastefulness in front of goal.

Killererin, though they were quite lively in the first-half, didn’t adjust well to playing into the breeze in the second-half and were ultimately far too reliant on Joyce, who kicked ten points, four from play. No doubt he’s still got it – class is permanent and his display was a pleasure to witness.

Joyce lit-up what was otherwise a tame enough first-half, landing seven of their nine first-half points, leaving it 0-9 to 0-5 at the break. Shane Hughes, who at times injected a bit of spark to Killererin’s attack, scored the other two, against a brace from Patrick Marc Ó Fátharta (one free), two points from Ferdia Breathnach (one free) and a white flag from Daithí Breathnach.

Killererin were doing quite well at midfield, with Thomas Hughes and Micheál Boyle at least gaining parity, and any time Joyce was picked out, despite being double marked at times, he found the target.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.