Leitrim 0-12 Waterford 0-08

Leitrim picked up their second-ever qualifier win as seven points from Ronan Kennedy helped Shane Ward’s side to a 0-12 to 0-08 victory over Waterford at a drenched Páric Seán Mac Diarmada.

An impressive opening half from the home side saw them lead by five points at the break and once Kennedy launched Leitrim into the second-half with two quick points there was no way back for the Munster side.

With a strong wind at their backs Leitrim were fast out of the blocks and Emlyn Mulligan got his side off the mark in the second minute with a good point from the right off the outside of his boot.

That lead was doubled in the sixth minute when Donal Wrynn, who started at full-forward, flicked a long delivery into the path of Kennedy and he tapped over a fine team score for a 0-2 to 0-0 lead.

Gavin Crotty was the real danger man up front for Waterford and on a couple of occasions in the opening half he almost got in behind the Leitrim full-back line with some powerful running from the left.

Unsurprisingly it was the Dungarvan wing-forward that got the Deise men on the scoreboard when he pointed in the eighth minute.

Before the game Ward was forced to start without one of his best forwards, Kevin Conlon, due to injury, but his replacement Ciaran Gilheaney proved his worth to the team in the ninth minute when he fired his team’s third point of the half.

But Leitrim’s tendency to foul in the tackle meant Patrick Hurney soon had Waterford back to within a point a couple of minutes later.

As the rain continued to batter Páirc Seán the error count began to escalate and we had to wait another nine, free-laced minute for the next score, but Kennedy finally brought the drought to an end with a well struck 45 for Leitrim.

Two minutes later Mulligan kicked a free from a yard further out to make it 0-5 to 0-2, but despite playing into the wind Waterford should have been a lot closer at the break as Hurney and Joey Veale both missed kickable frees, while full-back Thomas O’Gorman dropped the ball when he looked to have a decent goal chance three minutes from the break.

Kennedy punished Waterford for that poor return with another two points in the final minutes of the half to make it 0-7 to 0-2 at the interval.

Kennedy continued with more of the same in the second-half and kicked two more points inside the first three minutes of the half to help his side into a seven-point lead, and although substitute Shaun Corcoran landed a great score from a tight angle for Waterford, Leitrim remained in control.

A black card for Waterford freetaker Joey Veale was quickly followed by a couple of successful placed balls at the other end from Mulligan and Kennedy to extend Leitrim’s lead to eight points.

Another Waterford sub Mark Ferncombe landed a long range free for his side, but once Donal Wrynn drilled over a good score from distance there was no hope for the Munster men.

The visitors did go on to kick the last four points of the game as they closed the gap to four, but barring a flurry of goals there was never going to be a shock on the cards.

Leitrim: B Flynn; K McHugh, R Gallagher, P Maguire; S McWeeney, G Reynolds (c), J Rooney; P McGowan, S Moran; T Mulvey, E Mulligan (0-03, 0-02f), C Gilheaney (0-01); R Kennedy (0-07, 0-02f, 0-01’45), D Wrynn (0-01), A Croal.

Subs: B Prior for Rooney (h-t), N O’Donnell for Mulvey (68), C Gaffney for Croal (68), R O’Rourke for Gilheaney (71).

Waterford: S Enright; M O’Gorman, T O’Gorman, T Ó hUallacháin; S Prendergast, J McGrath, B Looby; R Ó Ceallaigh, T Prendergast (c); G Crotty (0-01), P Hurney (0-01, 0-01f), M O’Halloran; J Veale, L Lawlor (0-02), L Ó Corraoin.

Subs: C Murray for O Ceallaigh (h-t), F O Cuirrin for Hurney (h-t), S Corcoran (0-01) for O Corraoin (h-t), M Ferncombe (0-03, 0-03f) for Veale (43 BC), M Curry for O’Halloran (51), J O’Mahony for Looby (68-70 temp).

Referee: N Mooney (Cavan)