Footballers draw with Leitrim

Clare 0-11 Leitrim 1-8

A POINTED Leitrim free, eight minutes into injury time, snatched a point for the Connacht county in Miltown Malbay on Sunday afternoon. Both teams are now tied on three points in NFL division 4. Wicklow, who beat Antrim, top the division on full points from two games.

Emlyn Mulligan, who also scored Leitrim’s first half goal, pointed the decisive free which was conceded by Cathal O’Connor. The Coolmeen man was shown a black card by Offaly referee Damien Brazil.

When Martin O’Leary pointed a superb score, five minutes earlier, Clare led 0-11 to 1-6 and it lookeds as if they would hold on for a crucial win. However substitute Ray Cox pointed Leitrim to within a score of Clare before Mulligan equalised.

Clare played with the wind in the opening half but the teams were level, 1-3 to 0-6 after half tiime. O’Leary scored Clare’s opening point while Gary Brennan, who had a superb game, also scored as did Shane Brennan and Sean Collins.

Clare upped their game at the start of the second half although the game was held up for eight minutes, with Leitrim’s Damien Moran having to be stretchered off.

Both teams showed plenty of fight and heart on a pitch that held up well, considering the recent weather in west Clare.

Clare: Pierce Deloughrey; Dean Ryan, Gordon Kelly, Martin McMahon; Oige Murphy, Enda Coughlan, Shane Hickey; Gary Brennan, Cathal O’Connor; Shane McGrath, Podge Collins, Sean Collins; Martin O’Leary, Shane Brennan, Michael O’Shea.

Subs: Podge McMahon for Shane McGrath, Jamie Malone for Shane Brennan, Laurence Healy for Shane Hickey, Keith O’Connor for Cathal O’Connor (Black Card).

Scorers: Martin O’Leary (0-4, 0-2f), Gary Brennan (0-4, 0-2f), Shane Brennan, Sean Collins, Michael O’Shea (0-1 each).

Leitrim: Cathal McGrann; Paddy Maguire, Donal Wrynn, Barry Prior; Daniel Beck, Gary Reynolds, Wayne McKeon; Aaron Hickey, Damien Moran; Kevin Conlan, Robert Lowe, Fergal Clancy; Emlyn Mulligan, Tomas Beirne, Alan Wynne.

Subs: Michael McWeeney for Daniel Beck, Shane Moran for Damien Moran (inj), Darren Sweeney for Aaron Hickey, James Glancy for Robert Lowe, Ray Cox for Shane Moran.

Scorers: Emlyn Mulligan (1-4, 4f), Aaron Hickey, Alan Wynne, Kevin Conlon, Ray Cox (f) 0-1 each.

Referee: Damien Brazil (Offaly).