Leitrim 2-10
Sligo 1-11

(After extra-time)

Leitrim booked a place in the Lidl National Football League Division 4 final and promotion to Division 3 next season after edging out neighbours Sligo at Orchard Park in Elphin in an exciting semi-final.

Leitrim seemed poised to advance in normal time but Sligo produced a late equaliser to force the tie to extra-time.

Sligo won the toss and opted to play with the breeze and at half-time they led by 0-5 to 0-3.

Four of their points came from Lauren Normanly, three of them from frees. Two of them came in the opening five minutes before Vivienne Egan got Leitrim off the mark after seven minutes and then Michelle Guckian levelled with a free two minutes later.

Two more efforts from Normanly and one from Anna McDaniel pushed Sligo 0-5 to 0-3 in front after 18 minutes before Muireann Devaney reduced the margin with a superb point from a tight angle.

Both sides had goal chances but Devaney and Sinead Regan saw their efforts go narrowly wide.

Sligo opened up a 1-7 to 0-4 lead eight minutes into the second half with Ellen Giblin getting the goal but a goal from a penalty from Devaney got Leitrim back in contention.

Sligo led by 1-9 to 1-5 after 47 minutes before a goal from Kate Gormley got Leitrim back in contention and they hit the front for the first time going into injury-time when Ailbhe Clancy pointed.

But there was still time for Leah Duffy to force extra-time when she kept her nerve to point a free from 20 metres.

Leitrim, despite playing against the wind, led by 2-10 to 1-10 at the interval in extra-time, with Devaney, Dearbhaile Beirne and Laura O’Dowd finding the target.

Duffy pulled back a point for Sligo in the second period of extra-time but Leitrim held on for victory.

Scorers – Leitrim: M Devaney 1-5 (1-0pen, 0-2f), K Gormley 1-0, V Egan 0-1, M Guckian 0-1f, A Clancy 0-1, D Beirne 0-1, L O’Dowd 0-1.

Sligo: E Giblin 1-1, L Normanly 0-4, (1f), L Duffy 0-3 (1f), A McDaniel 0-1, C Gorman 0-1, D McGrath 0-1.

Leitrim: M Gallagher; J Maye, C Tyrrell, N Morahan; D Beirne, L Devaney, R McIntyre; N Tighe, A Devaney; L O’Dowd, L Fox, M Guckian (capt.); A Gilmartin, M Devaney, V Egan. Subs: A Clancy for Egan (40), K Gormley for Guckian (40), D Rooney for A Devaney (41), S Reynolds for McIntyre (49), C Dolan for Tighe (60), S Ward for Fox (70).

Sligo: E Maguire; C King, C Dunne, A Durcan; S Feeney, C Walsh, T Breheny (capt.); S Regan, S Cunney; A McDaniel, E Giblin, N McDonagh; L Duffy, C Gorman, L Normanly. Subs: R McGoldrick for McDaniel (40), D McGrath for McDonagh (40), A Haran for Normanly (56), B Lavin for Giblin (70), C Gilligan for Gorman (75).

Referee: Gerard Canny (Mayo).

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