Mulligan looks forward to brighter days if players can be kept at home

Leitrim have vowed to move on from the team that emigrated and focus on the future.

Without 22 members of their 2010 squad, another season in the doldrums looked likely for Leitrim, but under the steadying influence of Barney Breen and George Dugdale they have unearthed a solid base to work from.

The hope all around now is that they can hold on to the bones of this year’s squad for 2013, according to their play-maker Emlyn Mulligan.

“We regrouped well and put in a great effort this year and hopefully we can keep the same boys as this year for next season,” he said.

“I’m sure the future is bright for us. It is obviously a disappointing way to go out but we’ll keep battling on.

“It is just a pity we fell short in the end. The roar we got here coming off was massive. We can look forward to 2013, hopefully these boys stick together for another year for us.”

Yet, despite their win over Wicklow last week and pushing Laois so close on Saturday, Dugdale is not happy to exit the championship at this stage.

“This is myself and Barney’s first year with the team and we wanted to rebuild with six or seven gone from last year’s championship team. We set ourselves goals at the start of the year and we haven’t reached any of them goals, in terms of winning things.

“But there has been a lot of positives but we still have a huge amount of work to do to get a level of consistency you have to bring into every game.

“There is a lot to be positive [about] going forward, but there is a hell of a lot of work to be done as well.”