The opening fixture of the 2025 Connacht Gold Leitrim SFC saw champions Mohill get their campaign off to a winning start with a 1-12 to 12 points win over Ballinamore Sean O'Heslins.
A Keith Keegan second half goal proving to be the difference.
The opening fixture was a rematch of the 2024 final epic that was settled on penalties after a replay.
Reigning back-to-back champions Mohill, lined out for their first championship campaign in over a decade minus their double winning captain Shane Quin.
Whereas, Ballinamore's ranks were boosted by the returning Tom Prior, fresh off the back of a Chicago SFC win.
Mohill opened the scoring inside the first minute, through a Domhnaill Flynn free. However, Ballinamore took control of the opening stages, with Paul Moran kicking the first two pointer of the championship.
A brace of Luke Murphy frees, the second of those was for a three man breach by Mohill's Sean Harkin.
Mohill were dealt a blow on 12 minutes with midfielder Jack Rowley going over on his ankle; Johnny Boyle was the replacement. This was followed by Domhnaill Flynn tapping over his second free of the evening.
Flynn landed two further frees in the 18th and 19th minutes, including another 3 man infringement. That was before Michael McKiernan landed his sides second two pointer on 23 minutes.
Arguably Leitrim's player-of-the-season, Keith Keegan levelled matters soccer style on 29 minutes. Keegan pulling on a ball that broke in the Ballinamore penalty area, leaving the sides level.
Mohill went in ahead six points to five at half-time. In a game, largely between the 45's, with neither forward line being able to capitalize on the ball coming in.
Ballinamore respond in second-half
Ballinamore's Paul Moran started the second-half like he did the first, opening his sides account on the changeover.
Both sides were guilty of some poor misses. Ballinamore dropping two efforts short and Keegan firing wide from the top of the 13m arc before Tom Prior weaved through the Mohill defence and fired over on 37 minutes. Donal Feely added another after good work from Paul Moran.
Just as the game looked to be slipping away from Mohill; they struck for the game’s opening goal. A long ball into the square finding Keegan who turned and fired a low shot that squirmed under Darren Maxwell in the Ballinamore goal.
To their credit they hit back instantly through halftime sub Paul Honeyman, to retake the lead 0-10 to 1-06 with 20 minutes remaining.
Wayne McKeon and Conor Quinn traded bad attempts on target before Donal Feely's second point of the game. That was met with another Flynn free for Mohill as the game entered the final quarter.
Mohill close out the game
Mohill took the lead for the first time with 10 minutes remaining. Two fisted efforts from Matthew Murphy found the target. A Honeyman free off the deck from 40-meters sailed wide in response. Indeed, Murphy hit his third in a row for Mohill.
Mohill pounced again when Flynn from just inside 40 meters range struck to extend the lead to three points with seven minutes left. Another bad wide followed for Ballinamore, whose accuracy seemed to have deserted them, and Sean Harkin followed Murphy's lead and fisted over while on the way towards goal.
Ballinamore went looking for a goal in the closing minutes of normal time. However, Peter O'Neill came up with two massive reflex saves in the Mohill goal. The clearance brought a free that the champions turned over as Ballinamore tried to work a two points chance.
The game ended in stop start fashion, with a late foul on prior leading Wayne McKeon to tap over, leaving the goal between them at referee Martin Feeney's full time whistle. Mohill winning out 1-12 to 12-points.
Mohill: P O'Neill, R Bohan, J Mitchell, D Mitchell, E Duignan, A Armstrong, D Duignan, J Rowley, C Quinn, D Flynn, K Keegan, S Harkin, M Murphy, F McGuinness, E Harkin
Subs: J Boyle for Rowley 12 inj, A McGuinness for J Mitchell HT
Scorers: D Flynn 0-7, 4f M Murphy 0-3 K Keegan 1-1 S Harkin 0-1
Ballinamore: D Maxwell, C Moran, B Banks, M Murphy, N McManus, K McHugh, C McHugh, S Moran, D Feely, P Moran, M McKiernan, B Leyden, L Murphy, T Prior, W McKeon
Subs: P Honeyman for Leyden HT, L Ferguson for L Murphy 53,
Scorers: P Moran 0-3 (1 x 2p) L Murphy 0-2, 1f M McKiernan 0-2, 2pt P Honeyman 0-2 D Feely 0-2 T Prior 0-1
