Leitrim group defeat will act as a warning says coach Quinn

THE shock loss which Tyrone suffered against Leitrim in the group stages of the competition should help to guard against any complacency in the ranks heading into Sunday’s Ladies All-Ireland Intermediate Championship Final at Croke Park, assistant coach Fergal Quinn has stressed.

While three tiers will separate the sides come the 2025 National League (with Tyrone promoted to Division One and Leitrim still mired in Division Four), Quinn warns that the stunning 4-12 to 5-8 result the Red Hands were on the wrong end of at Ballinrobe just a few short months ago in the Championship, was a more reliable gauge of the narrow gap that exists between the teams.

Tyrone led 2-2 to no score after six minutes that afternoon but were left shell-shocked as the hosts staged a superb fightback to edge a thriller, despite the scoring heroics of Sorcha Gormley and Maria Canavan.

Moortown clubman Quinn cautioned that the favourites tag counted for little that day for the Red Hands, and ensured they would also be taking nothing for granted in the rematch, where the stakes will be much higher.

“ We have worked hard since the Leitrim game. It was a match which everybody probably expected us to win but Leitrim are a good team. Johnny (Garrity) has them well-organised.

“On the day they deserved the result so we are looking forward to going up against them again at Croke Park.

“ We will have to keep the girls well grounded. Yes we will go in as favourites but if Tyrone bring their ‘A’ game to Croke Park we will take a bit of beating but Leitrim are not just coming there to make up the numbers. They will be coming to win it the same as us.”

While the nature of that loss should act as a warning for Tyrone what to expect from the Connacht girls, Quinn also believes that Leitrim manager Johnny Garrity (who hails from Fintona) will have his homework done on his native county.

“ We have strengths and weaknesses as well as themselves. I’d say Johnny will take a look at us and we will take a look at them. We are going into an All-Ireland Final which is up for grabs. I suppose a lot of people are saying there is a big division between where we are at in league football and where they are but on the day it counts for nothing. The team that wants it most will win it.”

It is six years since Tyrone last played in an All-Ireland Final at Croke Park and Fergal stressed that it was important that the squad enjoyed the build-up and being under the spotlight as the preparations continue.

“ Over the last two or three weeks we have tried to ensure that the girls enjoy the build-up. I have never been involved in an All-Ireland Final before myself so the buzz is unreal. The things that are set up throughout this week as part of the build-up is brilliant- in terms of meet and greets at Healy Park- which the girls are all buzzing about, yet after all that we know we have a job still to do.

“ The (League Final) match with Kildare was the first time a lot of those girls would have played at Croke Park.

“We were punished for our own mistakes. Hopefully we have learned from that and the young girls will have gained plenty of experience from it. So we are all looking forward now to the Leitrim game.”