Leitrim find rhythm and range after break

Division Two A/ Leitrim 3-15 Carlow 1-7: Leitrim turned on a sparkling second-half performance when crushing managerless and…

Division Two A/ Leitrim 3-15 Carlow 1-7:Leitrim turned on a sparkling second-half performance when crushing managerless and pointless Carlow in Cloone yesterday.

Matters were evenly matched in the opening 18 minutes when both sides traded points with Brian Kelly putting over a pair of Carlow frees while Fintan McBrien and Declan Maxwell hit the target for Leitrim.

Leitrim edged into a decisive lead by the 27th minute after hitting 1-5 without reply. James Glancy landed a goal while Ciarán Duignan, Shane Foley, Donal Brennan, Fintan McBrien and Gary McCloskey added a point each. Brian Kelly hit four converted frees to leave Carlow trailing 0-6 to 1-7 at the break.

Ciarán Duignan added two Leitrim points from frees early in the second half when Brian Kelly replied with a seventh Carlow free. Carlow were back in contention when Mark Carpenter scored a goal in the 50th minute but they failed to score again as Leitrim shot an unanswered 2-6.

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Carlow's Brian Leonard was dismissed for two yellow cards before the finish.

LEITRIM: N Gill; M McGuinness, J McKeon, D Reynolds; C Regan (0-1), B McWeeney, S Foley (0-1); C Farrell, G McCloskey (0-1); B Brennan, D Maxwell (0-2), C Duignan (0-7); F McBrien (0-2), D Brennan (1-1), J Glancy (1-1). Subs: M Duignan for Farrell (19 mins), B Prior for B Brennan (19 mins), C Kennedy for McBrien (45 mins), A O'Flynn for McKeon (65 mins), P McGuinness (1-0)for J Glancy (67 mins).

CARLOW: J Clarke; J Ryan, B Leonard, B English; P Cashin, M Nolan, C Bolger; G Morrissey, R McGrath; JJ Smith, P Reid, M Carpenter (1-0), D Hayden, B Farrell, B Kelly (0-7). Subs: N Conway for Morrissey (32 mins), A Murphy for Farrell (32 mins), J Roche for Bolger (57 mins), K Nolan for Cashin (62 mins), G Farrell for Smith (66 mins).

Referee: A McLynn(Derry).