GAA: Wicklow come from nine points down to record stunning victory over Leitrim

Wicklow produced a stunning comeback to defeat Leitrim by 0-11 to 0-10 in their Allianz Football League Division Four meeting in Aughrim.

Leitrim flew out of the traps and hit nine unanswered points in the first 26 minutes, with Donal Wrynn, Fergal Clancy, Kevin Conlon and James McGrail all impressing.

Defenders Alan Byrne and Ross O’Brien were the only Wicklow players providing resistance up to that point, with Mick McLoughlin switched to full-back to curb a rampant Wrynn.

Seanie Furlong, Conor McGraynor, Mark Kenny and John McGrath all pointed in the final five minutes of the first half to leave the Garden County trailing by 0-9 to 0-4 at the interval.

Playing with a slight wind advantage in the second period, there was a big transformation in Wicklow’s performance. McGraynor moved to midfield and played a blinder; Brendan McCrea and Paudge McWalter came off the bench and upped the ante immeasurably.

After a barren 12 minutes McGraynor sparked the comeback with a point from a free, before McGrath, Darren Hayden, McCrea reduced their deficit to the minimum.

McGrath brought Wicklow level with another point from a free on 57 minutes and he gave them the lead a minute later from another placed ball.

Furlong’s second point proved vital, as Kevin Conlon struck his sixth Leitrim point before the end to cut the margin to a single point at the final whistle.

Scorers

Wicklow: J McGrath 0-4 (3f), C McGraynor (2f), S Furlong (2f) 0-2 each, D Hayden, M Kenny, B McCrea 0-1 each.

Leitrim: K Conlon 0-6 (4f, 1 ’45), J McGrail, F Clancy, D Wrynn, M McWeeney 0-1 each.