Leitrim hit three goals in comprehensive Connacht U-20 win over Mayo

Guckian struck for Leitrim's first goal on the 10-minute mark to put his side in the driving seat after Mayo's Darragh Beirne and Tom O'Flaherty had fired over while Paul Honeyman had chipped in with a pointed free for the home side.

Two late first-half points by Mayo sub Tom Lydon as well as an Oisin Cronin score for the visitors cut Leitrim's lead back to the minimum as the break approached. After what was a nip and tuck first half, Leitrim led by 1-6 to 0-8 at the break.

Leitrim upped their game in the third quarter and grabbed a 3-8 to 0-10 lead by the 40th minute after Moran and Casey both found the back of the Mayo net. In this period Beirne and Niall Hurley hit Mayo points while Honeyman and Barry McNulty did likewise for Leitrim.

After that Mayo points by Beirne and Hurley kept their side in contention. But Leitrim maintained a solid grip on the scoreboard right up to the end with three Honeyman points as well as another point from a well struck Casey free.

Scorers – Leitrim: P Honeyman 0-9 (5f, 2m), J Casey 1-1 (1f), B Guckian, P Moran 1-0 each, B McNulty 0-2

Mayo: D Beirne 0-5 (5f), T O'Flaherty 0-4 (2f), N Hurley 0-3, T Lydon 0-2, O Cronin 0-1

Leitrim: B Cull; A Oberwan, T Hughes, E McNamara; J Foley, P Keane, N McManus; B McNulty, B Guckian; M McBrien, P Moran, J Casey; J Tobin, P. Honeyman, D Cox.

Subs: T Plunkett for Casey (46); Joe McGloin for Guckian (52).

Mayo: D. Dolan; D Slattery, E McGreal, R Mortimer; D Duffy, S Morahan, B Collins; C Dawson, L Moore; O Cronin, C Keaveney, T O'Flaherty; D Beirne; N Hurley, D Reilly.

Subs: T Lydon for Reilly (25); J Melvin for Moore (34); J Melvin for Dawson (40); P Gilmore for McGreal (42); L Maloney for Mortimer (48); Reilly for Keaveney (54).

Referee: A Clogher (Roscommon).