Leitrim GAA

infobox GAA county
county gaa = Leitrim GAA
crest =
irish = Liatroim
province = Connacht
nickname = Lovely Leitrim
county colours = Gold and green
grounds = Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada,
Carrick-on-Shannon
dominant sport = Gaelic football
website = http://www.leitrimgaa.ie
nfl div = Division 3
nhl div = Division 3
football champ = Sam Maguire Cup
hurling champ = Nicky Rackard Cup
ladies football = Mary Quinn Memorial Cup
camogie = O'Duffy Cup
pattern_la=_yellowshoulders|pattern_b=_yellowshoulders|pattern_ra=_yellowshoulders
leftarm=28AE7B |body=28AE7B |rightarm=28AE7B |shorts=FFFFFF |socks=28AE7B
|The Leitrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) ( _ga. Cumann Lúthchleas Gael Coiste Chontae Liatroma) or Leitrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Leitrim. The county board is also responsible for the Leitrim inter-county teams

History

Despite having a population of 28,837 and just 24 clubs, Leitrim have created a significant impact on GAA history, winning two Connacht titles.

Gaelic football

Leitrim were a force in the 1920s, winning an impressive haul of one Connacht and zero All-Ireland titles. In the 1924 Connacht semi-final, Leitrim forced Galway to two draws, then refused to play extra time. In 1927, they won their first Connacht title with the help of Sean O'Hehir's training (father of the veteran radio commentator, Micheal) and with a little good luck when Connacht semi-finalists Roscommon had to line out without five players whose motor car had broken down. Leitrim won the Connacht title and held Kerry to two points in the All-Ireland semi-final.

In the days of Cathal Flynn and Packie McGarty Leitrim lost four successive Connacht finals to Galway between 1957 and 1960, coming closest in 1958 when they equalised mid-way through the second half but lost by two points. McGarty was at the end of his career when Leitrim were heavily beaten in their last Connacht final in 1967, scoring only one point from play and losing 4-15 to 0-7 against Mayo. They also contested the 1959 League semi-final, but lost by seven points to Derry. A new generation of Leitrim Under-21s hosted and nearly beat the great Kerry team at Carrick-on-Shannon in 1977 before losing by five points, 3-13 to 3-8. The expected breakthrough from Michael Martin and his men never happened.

Building on the 1991 Under-21 team which won the Connacht championship, Mayo-born John O'Mahony managed Leitrim to Connacht final victory over his own county in 1994. It was heart-stopping stuff, beating Roscommon by a point, Galway by a point in a replay and Mayo by two points before succumbing in an emotional semi-final to Dublin at Croke Park. Since losing to Sligo in 1989, Leitrim had suffered a series of near-misses, and might have followed up 1994 against Galway, losing by a single point in 1995 and two points in 1996.The countys Vocational Schools team have made it to 2 All-Ireland Vocational Schools Championship Finals losing to Carlow in 1972 and Donegal in 1995.

The first county to benefit under the parentage rule was also the first to lose their big catch, and the loss of Declan Darcy to Dublin created difficulties in 1998.

Honours

*All-Ireland Senior "B" Football Championships:
**1990,1991,1992
*Connacht Senior Football Championships: 2
**1927, 1994
*Connacht Under-21 Football Championships: 3
**1945, 1956, 1991
*Connacht Minor Football Championships: 1
**1956, 1977, 1998
*Connacht Vocational Schools Championships:2
***1972, 1995

Hurling

*Connaught Junior Hurling: 3
**1969, 1970, 1975,

Ladies Gaelic Football

Honours

*All Ireland Ladies' Intermediate Football Championships: 1
**2007

*Connacht Ladies' Senior Championships: 7
**1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1991 1992

External links

* [http://www.leitrimgaa.ie Official site]
* [http://www.hoganstand.com/Leitrim/ Leitrim on Hoganstand.com]
* [http://www.hoganstand.com/Leitrim/Profile.aspx National and provincial titles won by Leitrim teams]