Leitrim opened their season with FBD League defeat but an entertaining full bloodied game with Galway.
The air dome saw a good opening end to end first-half with the sides exchanging scores throughout. Interestingly all points’ came from play.
Paul Keaney, Shane Quinn (2), Jamie McGreal, Darragh Rooney all scoring for Leitrim by 15 minutes. Galway responded with Antoin O'Laoi, Charlie Power (2), Cillian Ó Curraoin and Cian Monaghan levelling the game by 18 minutes.
Ó Curraoin second point of the game put Galway six points to five up. The first time in the game Galway led and the first time one of the teams had gone back-to-back on the scoreboard.
Riordan O'Rourke and Shane Quinn went back-to-back for Leitrim putting them seven to six ahead.
A double from Daniel Flaherty and an Antoin O'Laoi point had Galway nine points to eight up on 26 minutes. However, Leitrim levelled the game by 29 minutes through Pearse Dolan and Darragh Rooney.
Cillian Ó Curraoin sent over the final score of the half in the 25th minute as Galway led 10 points to nine at the break.
Paul Keaney opened the scoring in the second-half, just like the first. However, Galway struck back with two Ó Curraoin points (1f) and one from Anton O Laoi.
Keaney converted a 40th minute free to make it 13 points to 11 in Galway's favour. The tribesmen took control of the game from here.
Another Ó Curraoin point was followed by a Ruairi Cunningham goal on 46 minutes. A Charlie Power mark had Galway seven points clear a minute later.
Indeed, the pre-season nature was evident as it would take another eight minutes for a score to be registered.
However, the game sprang to life! Three Darragh Rooney points (2f) plus points from Pearse Dolan and Mark Diffley made it a two point game.
Drama was to follow Galway's adding a 16th point with two mintues remaining. Jack Casey and O Laoi exchanging scores as the tribesmen led by three heading into six minutes of injury time.
Conor Reynolds saw red in the second minute of the additional. Resulting in Leitrim producing the hail mary balls. We looked set for penalties when Pearse Dolan punched the big ball into the net in the fifth minute of injury time.
However, the dome’s nature was evident as immediately Galway ran the ball the length of the dome. Cunningham burying the orange ball to the net.
Ryan Monaghan added an insurance point as Galway won out 2-18 to 1-17. Galway will play the winner of London and Roscommon in the FBD League final.
