Shock defeat for the defending All-Ireland U-21 football champions

By Noel Carney

IN one of the biggest shocks in years, hot favourites Galway surrendered their Connacht and All-Ireland U-21 titles in bitterly disappointing fashion at Carrick-on-Shannon last Saturday evening to a fired-up Leitrim side that fully deserved this victory which earns them a place in the provincial final against Roscommon.

This was a dreadfully poor display by the visitors who had built up a 0-5 to 0-1 lead in the opening quarter without being particularly convincing but went from bad to worse afterwards. They could only manage one point in the second quarter despite having plenty of possession and the second half was a tale of woe as they could only hit the target twice.