The hope that’s springs eternal for New York was stamped out most viciously, on the scoreboard at least by a Leitrim side that was not in the least feeling sympathy for an over matched opponent.
New York never got going and despite leading after four minutes due to a Justin Burke point, the wheels came off and then some, particularly in the second half. Granted NY were hit by injuries with Paul Lamb and Jason Kelly both having to retire, while Rory Woods did not start.
Burke had the early point after Kelly was fouled but immediately Leitrim came at the home side. They fired 1-03 in seven minutes with Robbie Lowe having the simple task of fisting a Wayne McKeon delivery to the net on ten minutes.
NY was showing promise in the early stages but they had four wides which hurt their chances tremendously. After both sides had scores, Jason Kelly took a pass from Justin Burke and stormed for goal. He rifled a bullet at the top corner but Cathel McCrann was up to the task and he parried it up and then snatched the rebound to safety.
Leitrim added their second goal, and Emlyn Mulligan’s first in the 20th minute and the winners were moving. Both sides had three points in the closing 12 minutes but it was a sign of the day that Leitrim were able to reply to each NY score with one of their own. All of theirs came from frees as Mulligan punished indiscretions continually. It left the winners sitting comfortable on a 2-08 to 0-05 half time lead. Things were only going to get worse.
Leitrim scored 1-08 without reply to open the second half with Mulligan adding his second goal on a full field move that culminated with his drive to the net. They were winning all the kick outs with Tomas Beirne in tremendous form. Fabien McMorrow and Gary Reynolds were also dominating in the center and they were easily able to stop anything that resembled a NY attack. It was all of 22 minutes in before NY had a clear cut chance.
It arrived when Lonan McGuire joined the attack and he fired off a low shot that McCrann touched around the post. CJ Molloy had a point from a free three minutes later but then received his second yellow for a rash foul to put his side down a man. Leitrim added two points to their total before Rory Woods chipped over after Justin Burke found him with a cross field pass. It was the end of the road however when Mulligan added his third goal to add salt to the already gaping wound.
Scorers New York Justin Burke (0-03) CJ Molloy (0-01) Conor Lynam (0-01) Jason Kelly (0-01) Rory Woods (0-01)
Scorers Leitrim Emlyn Mulligan (3-07) Robbie Lowe (1-01) James Glancy (0-03) Tomas Beirne (0-02) Brendan Brennan (0-02) Wayne McKeon (0-01) Darren Sweeney (0-01) Gerry Hickey (0-01) Kevin Conlon (0-01)
New York – 1 Gavin Joyce; Down 2 Daniel Jackson, Derry 3 Mike O'Regan, Clare 4 Paul Lambe; Monaghan 5 Lonan Maguire, Monaghan 6 Keith Scally, Westmeath 7 Alan Rafferty; Galway 8 CJ Molloy, New York 9 Gary O'Driscoll; Kerry 10 Eoin Ward, Leitrim 11 Jason Kelly, Offaly12 Conor Lynam; Westmeath 13 Mickey Annett, Down 14 Kevin McGeeney Armagh 15 Justin Burke. Galway Subs Conor Hogan (New York) for Ward 18 mins, Donnacha O’Dwyer (NY)for Lamb Half time, Rory Woods (Monaghan) for Kelly Half time, Ronan McGinley (Tyrone)for Jackson 53 mins, James Connolly (Monaghan)for McGeeney 63 mins
Leitrim – 1 Cathal McCrann; 2 Alan Wynne, 3 Fabian McMorrow, 4 Paddy Maguire; 5 Danny Beck, 6 Gary Reynolds, 7 Wayne McKeon; 8 Tomas Beirne, 9 Darren Sweeney; 10 Paul Brennan, 11 Emlyn Mulligan, 12 Gerry Hickey; 13 Kevin Conlon, 14 James Glancy, 15 Robbie Lowe. Subs Ray Cox for Hickey 47 mins, Barry Prior for Conlon 56 mins, Brendan Brennan for Sweeney56 mins, Ciaran Egan for Wynne 59 mins, Enda Williams for McGuire 63 mins.
Man of the Match Tomas Beirne (Leitrim)
Referee Martin Higgins (Fermanagh)
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