Led by the hugely influential Dean Healy, Oisin McConville’s side turned a 1-7 to 1-4 half-time deficit when playing against a stiff breeze into a convincing 2-15 to 1-11 victory by the time Tyrone referee Kieran Eannetta sounded his final whistle.
A damaging 1-5 early in the second half set the tone for the Garden County in that second period, Kevin Quinn with three points on the bounce, the goal from Chris O’Brien with nine minutes elapsed after Leitrim kicked a sideline ball straight to Dean Healy who set the wheels in motion for a move that ended with O’Brien flicking home to Niall O’Donnell’s net.
Andy Moran’s side failed to build enough of a cushion with the wind at their backs, Barry McNulty’s goal after 29 minutes looking like it was going to set them on their way at 1-6 to 0-4 ahead only for JP Nolan’s pass across the Leitrim goal a few moments later to end up in the back of the net, the score coming off the immense effort of Dean Healy out the field.
With Barry McNulty causing Wicklow major issues, Oisin McConville sent in Jonny Carlin to try and curb the midfielder’s impact and the Donegal man did so superbly.
Wicklow were full value for their win having come close to raising green flags on at least four occasions apart from the two they did bag, and their running threat through the centre of Leitrim’s defence courtesy of the aforementioned Healy, Podge O’Toole and Jack Kirwan proved key in creating their scoring chances.
Wicklow: M. Jackson (0-2, 2f); T. Moran, M. Stone, P. O’Keane; M. Nolan, E. Murtagh, P. O’Toole (0-1); D. Healy (0-4), C. Maguire; D. Fee, E. D’Arcy, J. Kirwan; C. O’Brien (1-1), K. Quinn (0-3, 1f), JP Nolan (1-2). Subs: C. McDonald for T. Moran (20, inj.), J Carlin for C Maguire (39), O. McGraynor (0-1, f) for E. D’Arcy (60), G. Fogarty for C. O’Brien (64), G. Murphy (0-1) for JP Nolan (65).
Leitrim: N. O’Donnell (0-2, 1 45); C. McHugh, M. Diffley, A. Flynn; K. Clancy, R. Oberwan, T. Prior; D. Wrynn, B. McNulty (1-2, 1f); J. Foley, M. Plunkett (0-1), B. Guckian; R. O’Rourke (0-2), D. Rooney (0-4, 4f), J. Gilheany. Subs: S. Quinn for J. Foley (temp, 35, reversed 36), R. O’Rourke for B. Guckian (47), C. Reynolds for R Oberwan (48), Arek Oberwan for K. Clancy (50), D. Cox for T. Prior, 53), S. Quinn for D. Wrynn ((62)
Referee: Kieran Eannetta (Tyrone)
