Waterford senior footballers leave Leitrim empty handed
Conor Murray shoots for a Waterford point.
A brave Waterford side gave Leitrim something of a fright in Carrick-on-Shannon in a competitive clash where the visitors looked like that they might cause an upset at Pairc sean Mac Diarmada after getting level in the 50th minute.
But the home side, led by Ryan O'Rourke, held out for a hard-ought win over a 14-man Waterford outfit, who had Cian Kiely dismissed on a second yellow near the end.
The visitors were unable to push on in the final 20 minutes as a rejuvenated Leitrim lifted their game to claim a first league win with a five-point margin at the end.
While Leitrim were in command for most of the game, Waterford pegged the home side right back before the break with goals in quick succession from Liam Mulligan and Caoimhín Walsh.
These scores certainly provided Waterford with a solid platform to try and turn the tables on the home side during the second half.
Leitrim dominated in the opening 25 minutes when they hit five unanswered points.
Ben Guckian whipped over two points for the home side while Ryan O'Rourke, Jack Kelly and Fergal McLoughlin added a point each.
Waterford, who were aided by the breeze, found it difficult to settle into the game and only opened their account when Conor Murray fired over a 25th-minute point.
Murray added another for the visitors shortly afterwards and brought his side back into contention.
Guckian hit back with a Leitrim goal on the 27 minute mark, but Waterford finished the half with a flourish with Liam Mulligan and Colin Foley finding the Leitrim net.
That left Leitrim leading by 1-9 to Waterford's 2-3 at the interval.
Leitrim went further ahead in the opening minute of the second half when substitute Oisin McLoughlin fired over a well-taken point. Waterford hit with a Dermot Ryan two-pointer and then a single which reduced Leitrim's lead to the minimum.
Leitrim increased their lead when Jack Kelly split the Waterford uprights.
Waterford rallied again to get back on level terms by the 50th minute with points from Stephen Curry and Donal Fitzgerald; however, but they failed to score after that.
Ryan O'Rourke edged Leitrim ahead with a lovely score and the home side then closed out the game with two Ryan O'Rourke points while Jack Kelly and Fergal McLoughlin added a point apiece.
Matters got a little heated in the closing minutes of the action when Leitrim started to play a number of minutes of possession football in the middle of the field.
Referee Aidan Mark Loughran took disciplinary action near the end when he dismissed Waterford's Cian Kiely on second yellow while he also issued a yellow to Michael Curry.
Waterford are back on home soil on Saturday, February 14th, when they welcome Wicklow to Cappoquin Logistics Fraher Field, Dungarvar.
The Leinster side have two games under their belts in the league already, beating Leitrim by a single point in the opening round before going down by two points to Carlow last time out.
Ben Guckian 1–2 (2f), Jack Kelly 0–6 (tp), Ryan O'Rourke 0–4, Fergal McLoughlin 0–2, Riordan O'Rourke and Oisin McLoughlin 0–1 each.
Colin Foley and Liam Mulligan 1–0 each, Dermot Ryan 0–3 (tp), Conor Murray 0–2, Donie Fitzgerald, Caoimhín Walsh and Stephen Curry 0–1 each.
Daire O'Shea; Eoin McLoughlin, Kieran Clancy, Sean Harkin; James Rooney, Mark Diffley, Eanna McNamara; Conor Quinn, Keith Keegan; Fergal McLoughlin 0–2, Riordan O'Rourke 0–1, Michael McKiernan; Ben Guckian 1–2 (2f), Ryan O'Rourke 0–4, Jack Kelly 0–6 (tp).
Donal Feely for Diffley (17); Oisin McLoughlin 0–1 for McNamara (30); Gavin Reynolds for Harkin (HT); Colm McLoughlin for McKiernan (48); Conor Reynolds for Quinn (55).
Paudie Hunt; Glen Power, Darach Ó Cathasaigh, Billy Hynes; Donie Fitzgerald 0-1, Adam Crawford, Conor Ó Cuirín; Michael Curry, Caoimhín Walsh 0–1; Colin Foley 1–0, Aaron Ryan, Liam Mulligan 1–0; Conor Murray 0–2, Stephen Curry 0–1, Darragh Walsh.
Dermot Ryan 0–3 (tp) for D Walsh (HT); Michael O'Brien for S Curry (50); Cian Kiely for Hynes (67): Connor Fennell for Ó Cuirín (72).
Mark Loughran (Tyrone).
