Leitrim under-16 gaelic footballers have reached the final of this year’s Fr Manning Cup following a 3-16 to 4-11 win over Wicklow in Saturday’s semi-final played at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park in Longford.
Despite conceding four first-half goals to their Leinster opponents, Leitrim still managed to establish a four-point lead by the interval as they led by 2-11 to 4-1.
Leitrim led by six points as the game entered its dying moments and while there was another rally from the Garden County, Martin McGowan’s side held on to win by two points.
Leitrim will now face Longford in the final – after they beat Wexford by 4-13 to 2-9 in Saturday’s other semi-final.
The Fr. Manning Cup is the longest running inter-county juvenile football tournament in the country, organised for most of it’s history by the Longford County Board, but now managed by the Leinster Council.
Sligo have enjoyed significant success in the competition in recent years, winning it in 2019 and last year (2022).
Saturday’s U16 Fr Manning Cup semi-finals
Leitrim 3-16 Wicklow 4-11
Longford 4-13 Wexford 2-9
Leitrim 3-16 Wicklow 4-11
Longford 4-13 Wexford 2-9
