anon3 (Mayo) - Posts: 19 - 15/03/2025 17:20:17    2596535

There are plenty of club players that could have put on the jersey. It's not a junior b team we're talking about. I'd be fuming if was a decent club player and not given the opportunity. I know you'd get a hammering but this is a pr and reputational disaster.

Ros2013 (Roscommon) - Posts: 528 - 15/03/2025 18:52:52    2596555

Huge fan of Leitrim and the way they overcome emigration and lack of numbers but this is really bad.

Why not give the U20s a half each or draft in a Club goalkeeper and a few other players ?

carlovia (None) - Posts: 1534 - 15/03/2025 19:12:56    2596557

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1231 - 15/03/2025 20:50:43    2596598

The issue with Leitrim county footballers is a lack of courage, as they seemed more concerned about avoiding a heavy defeat than putting up a battle. Shame on them! Gone are the days of their ancestors who were tough bogmen who would fight to the end, no matter the result!

TurnipHead. (Fermanagh) - Posts: 252 - 15/03/2025 22:41:33    2596639

boxtyburgerbuns (Leitrim) - Posts: 190 - 15/03/2025 22:42:55    2596640

It's the hooters fault

Willies24 (Leitrim) - Posts: 44 - 15/03/2025 22:47:45    2596642

I am beyond angry.

Used to bad beatings. I've seen 7 goals conceded in championship matches. Twice. Head down, even though I was a child the first time.

I've seen us lose by a point in a first round game in a year where we could've got to a All Ireland final. F##king heartbreaking.

But nothing as bad as today's capitulation. You just have to field a team in a NFL game even if you know you'll get hammered.

I've been a regular attender but it's going to be a long time before I go anywhere near a game after this.

IronSleeve (Leitrim) - Posts: 28 - 15/03/2025 23:25:14    2596644

There is no reason Leitrim couldn't field a team this weekend especially as they were playing at home… It's a very difficult situation Leitrim are in at the moment but this is not good…

ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 3673 - 15/03/2025 23:30:59    2596645

There is no reason Leitrim couldn't field a team this weekend especially as they were playing at home… It's a very difficult situation Leitrim are in at the moment but this is not good…

ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 3673 - 15/03/2025 23:48:01    2596648

I feel sorry for Leitrim as does every county with a small playing population. A few years ago Sligo were hit similarly due to covid and had to concede a championship game. I don't think our Co Board fought strong enough to get an alternative date. All we know is that a few weeks later Tyrone announced they weren't in a position to fulfill a game against Kerry and the game was immediately moved.
I think to forfeit the game is correct. A lot of people with no knowledge of the game are making stupid comments particularly on other sites, although one lad here came up with the ridiculous idea of some of the U.20 playing a half each. Neither can you call up club players who are not near the fitness level and expect them to slot in and bear the burnt of a heavy beating. I read here where one poster said you will get over a bad beating but never get over a forfeit. Unfortunately a lot of you refuse to move on after the loss to New York.
This is a low point for Leitrim and maybe it's needed so that everyone who has an interest in Leitrim football can put their heads and resources together and plan for the future.
For all the supporters the best thing you can do is flock to Cloone on Wednesday evening and cheer on your U.20 team. Don't burden them with expectations. I read a lot of you saying that you are expecting big things from this team. Encouragement is what's needed. Look for a good performance but be realistic. Manor had a great win recently, but it was in the C competition. It's a good starting point for your minors. The Leitrim forum is one of the busiest on this site. No one can doubt your passion for the game but sometimes you build sand castles in the air and when they come crumbling down it can be a sorry mess. There were posters here a month ago picking the U.20 team. A month ago the Leitrim manager didn't even know his best 15. Last year you beat Mayo and drew with Sligo ( you should have beaten us). If you get 2 wins out of 4 it will be a good solid campaign. I wish you well.

eoinog (Sligo) - Posts: 2050 - 16/03/2025 00:05:28    2596649

At this point does another hammering to fermanagh actually make a difference. Bring in 10 good club players that havent made the step up yet who'd love to play for their county, fulfill the fixture and avoid national embarrassment.

Even tho i empathise with Poacher I think the u20s are 100% right. Only a few years ago andy moran prevented barry mcnulty from playing against Galway in an u20 semi final. The match was there to be won with 10 minutes to go and as usual our lack of strength in depth told true.

Id say Poacher is now realising why andy moran and mickey graham went running ! The writing was on the wall last year with retirements + lads emigrating, they knew to get out of leitrim management before their career was over.

I still believe that in a few years these young lads will come good unfortunately it wont be today or tomorrow

Roadtodiv3 (Leitrim) - Posts: 11 - 16/03/2025 01:47:04    2596652

not serious indeed, they knew well in advance of the league that u20 fixtures would be played during div 3. surely they could have brought in additional players before the league.

hontherossie (Roscommon) - Posts: 121 - 16/03/2025 02:27:24    2596655

peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 1170 - 16/03/2025 07:22:07    2596658

A tough league campaign just got tougher.
The Offaly game offered hope again. Maybe it was the change to the navy strip, but the lads played out of their skins and were unlucky with a couple of decisions that could have swung it.
No conplaints at the end and at least we went down with a fight.

I looked forward to the fermanagh game and then hear about the concession. I get it about injuries and now prioritising the u20s but its still demoralising.

I remember we avoided throwing a game at all costs . Get in young lads, older lads who might not have played in a while. It does feel like a shame we couldn't have given the opportunity to club players or even call in some of the masters ! I don't know how you'd go about it but some sort of contingency plan could be there.
If we are beaten by 20pts, so be it, but don't throw the game which goes against what we were brought up with. It's disappointing.

Mugatay (Leitrim) - Posts: 165 - 16/03/2025 09:10:09    2596665

If it is this bad this year, what will it be like next year trying to get lads for div 4 games!

boxtyburgerbuns (Leitrim) - Posts: 190 - 16/03/2025 09:40:28    2596669

Sad to hear Leitrim couldn't field a team but hopefully the u20s will come through and Leitrim have better times on the field

Farneyblueandwhite (Monaghan) - Posts: 26 - 16/03/2025 10:03:37    2596671

I had a chat with a smart football man a couple months ago when the panel was announced.
He said to things.

1. Great to see so many young lads u20 in the panel, if for once we can keep them lads together long term it will benifit leitrim long term.

2. Which stood out, panel is very thin when you take out the u20s. A few injuries, suspensions or 1 or 2 leave the panel which always happens he said he would be greatly concerned for the last couple of league games or u20 championship. 1 of which will.get the short straw.

I dont think he or any of us imagined our senior team conceading a game, but surely lads involved could see how tight we wer going to end upnwhen u20s came around.

Lets hope thisnis a big reality check, and this is the bottom and its only up from here.
We have a good minor and u20 panel. St clares are all ireland c champions and manor went to connaught minor final last year. The players are coming up we need county board and management to get the best out of them.and support them.as best as possible. Help find collage Scholerships and jobs for these lads and make it attractive to play ball.for leitrim

sparkie (Leitrim) - Posts: 84 - 16/03/2025 10:58:44    2596681

Lets be honest this is a shocking weekend for Leitrim football. The senior panel is number one priority. It comes first, then the under 20, then the minors. If the 6 lads are good enough to play senior, you find 6 other lads to play under 20. It's an embarrassment that we failed to field a team regardless where the team sits in the table.

Leitrim_12 (Leitrim) - Posts: 73 - 16/03/2025 16:26:47    2596734

Three reasons were given for the personnel crisis which led to the walkover against Fermanagh.

1. Loads of withdrawals, emigration, etc affected the panel.

That's fine, except that happened last year. This is now, several months later.

2. The U-20s need to play in the U-20 championship on Wednesday.

I totally get that, and I agree with it. Survival in Division 3 is now a lost cause. Let the U-20s give the U-20 championship their best shot. But here's my point: it wasn't suddenly announced that the U-20 championship was about to start. The dates for the games would have been flagged well in advance I'm sure. The Galway game wasn't a surprise.

3. There's been an injury crisis.

I can't fault anyone for an injury crisis. Having both goalkeepers out through concussion is bad luck. However, and just using the goalies as an example, they didn't just get hurt on Thursday night (or the other injured players either). Management would have been aware of their situation well enough before now to be able to source a goalkeeper or two from one or two of the 23 clubs up and down the county. How was the panel put together? Were there trials? I'm sure more than two goalies turned up. If the third-, fourth-, etc choice goalie was let go from the panel, did no-one contact them to say "Look, we've an issue here, can you be available on Sunday"? Of course they could have said no, but did anyone come looking for them? The same with the outfield players. They didn't all wake up on Friday morning with sore arms or legs or whatever.

Poacher and co would have been aware the team was in trouble. Did they only have 22 in the panel for the Offaly game? Why were they not trying to bolster their numbers after that? Or even before then, especially if they knew the U-20s were going to be gone? Now I'm no expert, but I'm sure there'd have been enough lads who want to play for Leitrim, whose ambition is to make the county team, and who'd have bitten Poacher's hand off for an opportunity to make an impression on the field of play in a proper competitive competition against opponents with something to play for (with Fermanagh at the wrong end of the Division 3 table and not safe until after they got the walkover). And those players would have earned a ton of respect and gratitude for stepping into the breach.

But was anyone approached? They should have found someone to fill the vacant positions. I think eyes were seriously off the ball for this one. If Jim Gavin or Jim McGuiness were managing us and we were hit with an injury crisis and mass withdrawals, and they were going to let the U-20s away from the panel, you can be sure they would have a backup plan in place.

Tacaí Liatroma (Leitrim) - Posts: 1156 - 17/03/2025 00:03:58    2596832