Leitrim Stun Sligo for First Connacht Championship Win in 15 Years
Leitrim produced one of the upsets of the GAA season on Sunday, April 12, defeating Sligo 3-15 to 1-20 in the Connacht Senior Football Championship quarter-final at Markievicz Park — their first championship victory over their neighbours in 15 years.
Manager Steven Poacher described his team's performance as "astonishing," and few would argue. Sligo had been strong favourites having finished fifth in Division Three of the Allianz Football League, while Leitrim had struggled in Division Four, finishing second from bottom.
Three Goals Prove the Difference
Leitrim fell behind early, trailing 0-6 to 0-2, but a turning point came in the 16th minute when Barry McNulty scored a goal following a Sligo turnover. Sligo then went scoreless for the final 17 minutes of the first half as Leitrim seized control, with Keith Keegan adding a second goal in the 28th minute to give the underdogs a 2-7 to 0-7 lead at the break.
Captain Ryan O'Rourke drilled in Leitrim's third goal early in the second half to extend the lead to 10 points, and though Sligo mounted a spirited comeback — sparked by a goal from substitute Pat Spillane — Leitrim held on for a famous one-point victory.
McNulty the Talisman
Barry McNulty was the standout performer, finishing with 1-6 and earning praise from Poacher as Leitrim's "talisman." The manager also highlighted the youth of his squad, noting that five Under-20 players were on the field at the final whistle and that 12 or 13 players were under the age of 22 or 23.
Supporters spilled onto the pitch in celebration at the final whistle, scenes that underlined just how much this victory meant to a county that has long punched below its weight in Connacht.
Galway Await in the Semi-Final
Leitrim will now face Galway in the Connacht SFC semi-finals, a daunting but not impossible task for a squad that has shown it is capable of causing a major upset. The result will be remembered as one of the great shocks of the 2026 GAA season.
