Leitrim squirm

Leitrim manager Peter McGinnity managed a terse "very disappointing" by way of articulating his reaction to a mauling in yesterday's Bank of Ireland Connacht Senior Football Championship semi-final at Carrick-on-Shannon.

Galway's 1-16 to 0-5 victory was as facile as the scoreline suggests and it was therefore no surprise that McGinnity sought the sanctuary of the dressing-room.

The crestfallen Leitrim manager later admitted that his charges had suffered from "stagefright" and that everything that could have gone wrong on the day did, and in a very emphatic manner.

McGinnity was appointed on a one-year contract which finished after yesterday's game and one would certainly not blame him were he to consider his future carefully.

In contrast Galway manager John O'Mahony enjoyed an anxiety-free afternoon, although as a former Leitrim supremo, he can hardly have relished watching the home side squirm with embarrassment. "I was pleased with the way things went, although the game never really opened up. All I wanted out of today was a ticket to the Connacht Final," said O'Mahony.

"My thoughts are with Leitrim. They did not justify the hard work that they put in during the winter, that was not a true reflection of their ability. We had that little bit of extra class that allowed us to take the scores.

"It was nice to get over this game and the victory was the important thing."