Roscommon and Leitrim will meet in Sunday’s TG4 Connacht Ladies Intermediate final.
With Sligo plying their grade at junior level a healthy competitive rivalry has ensued between today’s final opponents.
Outsiders will immediately be swayed by the current league standings of the teams when it comes to forecasting a winner.
Roscommon having regained Division 2 status for next season. The girls in primrose and blue will start as favourites in their own back yard of Kiltoom.
Roscommon narrowly lost the league final against Clare. However, Ollie Lennon’s side recorded six wins and one draw in the group stage.
The Roscommon manger was very close to parting ways with the team at the end of last season.
At one stage the ladies county board had seemingly dispensed with his services. However, player pressure dictated Lennon's re-appointment. The response has been positive so far in 2024.
Lennon returned as Roscommon manager
In fairness to Lennon, he has pointed out, he has received the full support of the county board and is anxious to start the championship journey by retaining the Connacht intermediate title.
Niamh Feeney the Roscommon captain is also happy they have turned a corner and is eager to have a more positive championship experience this time round. She says now the team must kick on in the championship to speed up the collective development of the panel.
The cloud hanging over Leitrim coming into the championship, is the fact that they are still a division 4 team.
After the league stages of the competition were completed Fermanagh and Leitrim occupied first and second positions.
However, league semi-finals are part of the course in bottom tier. Limerick and Carlow, the third and fourth place teams won the semi-finals, claiming the parachutes on offer.
Johnny Garrity acknowledged it was major disappointment not securing promotion at a recent media night.
A late goal against Limerick had Leitrim on the verge of glory only for the treaty county to break down the field to score a late major of their own to claim the spoils.
Success for Leitrim Club teams such as Ballinamore Sean O’Heslins and Glencar/Manor in recent times is a major boost to football in the county. Now they look to regain the Connacht championship before any talk can start of repeating the heroics of the class of 2007.
Whereas, some young exciting players come into the Leitrim fold in recent times Michelle Guckian is still one of their most important assets. She started her inter-county career as goalkeeper but is now a key forward.
