In his brilliant book, Memoir, John McGahern wrote of growing up in Leitrim and of how, in rural communities, “the local and the individual were more powerful than any national identity”.

Sligo 3-12 Leitrim 3-7: Five unanswered points in the last 10 minutes set up Sligo’s five-point defeat of plucky neighbours Leitrim in an eventually enthralling Connacht MFC semi-final at Markievicz Park.

Glencar/Manor easily defeated Annaduff in Carrick-on-Shannon on Saturday by a 1-11 to 0-3 margin.

County man Adrian Croal led Glencar/Manor to victory when he shot eight points from play for the four-in-a-row Leitrim champions in a low key 0-14 to 1-5 win over Allen Gaels in Carrick-on-Shannon.