Leitrim earn shock draw to dent Derry's promotion hopes
Derry's Division Three promotion hopes suffered an early blow as they were held by a Leitrim side who fully deserved their Celtic Park draw on Saturday evening.
Keith Beirne was the Leitim hero with nine points from a faultless display for free-taking as Terry Hyland's team frustrated Derry and took full advantage of some wayward Oak Leaf passing.
A superb opening from the Connacht team who showed eight changes from the side humbled by Roscommon in the FBD League saw them lead 1-3 top 0-1 after 13 minutes, Cillian McGloin the goal scorer after Derry keeper Odhran Lynch had punched out a high ball.
Rory Gallagher saw his Derry side rally though and by the interval they appeared to have turned the tide courty of a five point swing in the half's closing minutes with Emmet Bradley brilliant 32nd minute goal owing as much to Gavin O'Neill's driving run as it did Bradley's brilliant finish.
Turning around 1-08 to 1-07 up, most expected an improved home display but Leitrim never let Derry get an attacking foothold with Shane Moran a superb attacking outlet for the many runners from deep.
Twice Leitrim forged leads, the first of which was pegged back by Derry substitute Shane McGuigan's excellent 44th minute finish from close range which left it 2-08 to 1-11.
Back came Leitrim who led by two as the clock ticked toward full time only to see late points from Ben McCarron and Ciaran McFaul tie the game.
Both sides had chances in a frantic finale that saw Leitrim's Domhnaill Flynn sin binned and Carlus McWilliams red carded by Derry didn't do enough to win and Leitrim certainly didn't deserve to lose.
Derry scorers: Shane McGuigan (1-1, 1f), Ciaran McFaul (0-1), Emmet Bradley (1-3, 2f), Ryan Bell (0-2, 1f, 1 '45'), Eoghan Duffy (0-1), Chrissy McKaigue (0-1), Ben McCarron (0-1); Ciaran McFaul (0-1),
Leitrim scorers: Cillian McGloin (1-0), Keith Beirne (0-9, 7f, 1 '45'), Shane Moran (0-3), Darragh Rooney (0-1), Domhnaill Flynn (0-1)
Derry: O Lynch, C McCluskey, P McGrogan, L McGoldrick (N Keenan, 55), B Rogers, C McKaigue, C Doherty (C McWilliams, 65), G O'Neill (N Toner, 53), E Bradley, E Duffy (A Doherty, 60), D Tallon, CMcFaul, B McCarron, R Bell, C Bradley (S McGuigan 41).
Leitrim: D McKiernan, C Reynolds, F McTague, P Maguire, A Flynn, J Gilheaney, C McGloin (R O'Rourke, 68), D Wrynn, S Moran, S Quinn, D McGovern (D Bruen, 70), D Flynn, O McCaffrey (O McLaughlin, 53), D Rooney, K Beirne.
Referee: N Mooney (Cavan)
