LEITRIM joined Laois on top of Division Four of the Allianz Fooball League in the most dramatic fashion imaginable yesterday afternoon in Carrick-on-Shannon.
Ryan O’Rourke’s penalty conversion in the fifth minute of stoppage-time made it 3-7 to 2-9, just when it looked as if Niall Hughes’ goal for Wexford might have been enough to give the Model county an invaluable away win.
Leitrim went in at half-time 2-2 to 0-5 up, with O’Rourke scoring both goals. Barry McNulty kept Leitrim in front before Ben Brosnan roared his Wexford colleagues to life with a goal in the 44th minute.
Liam Coleman and Kevin O’Grady hit points that kept Wexford within striking distance, and strike they did through Hughes on the hour mark.
Impressive centre-back Páraic Hughes strode forward to kick what looked like the insurance point after Darragh Rooney left a point between the sides with a free, but a foul on McNulty gave O’Rourke the golden ticket and a chance to snatch it for Leitrim, which in his current form, he was never going to wasted.
In the other game yesterday, London hosted Tipperary and a late Cahir Healy point for the Exiles ensured a drawn result, 1-8 to 0-11, that is realistically of little use to either side, with both teams all but out of the promotion race.
It was tit-for-tat throughout much of this contest, as Tipp struggled to break down their hosts’ stubborn defence.
Just when it looked as if the Premier county might open up a gap, Ruairi Rafferty brought London level at half-time thanks to a 1-1 salvo just before the break, and there was never much between the teams from then on.
Laois remain the clear front-runners in the basement division after they overcame a slow start to demolish Carlow in a top of the table clash in Portlaoise on Saturday night.
Three points from Darragh Foley helped the visitors to an 0-5 to 0-0 lead, with 24 minutes on the clock before hometown player Damon Larkin got the O’Moore County off the mark.
Within three minutes, the gap was down to a point, and after Conor Crowley and Laois goalkeeper Killian Roche traded scores, that was still the state of play at half-time, with Carlow edging it by 0-6 to 0-5.
Laois absolutely dominated the third quarter, however, with Larkin and Kevin Swane their goalscorers as they racked up 2-6 without reply, before easing to a 2-14 to 0-9 win.
Meanwhile, Longford, who were expected to win easily, were pushed to the wire by Waterford in Ballygunner before eventually getting their first win of the season, 0-16 to 0-13.
Waterford had six different scorers in the first half, which they edged by 0-9 to 0-8, but despite losing midfielder Darren Gallagher to a red card, Longford enjoyed a purple patch in the middle of the second half, outscoring Waterford by 0-5 to 0-1 in 15 minutes to take control of the game.
