Keith Beirne runs the show as Leitrim ease past Carlow 

Leitrim's Keith Beirne stole the show with a 1-9 haul as Andy Moran’s side kept their promotion hopes alive with victory over a disappointing Carlow side at Netwatch Cullen Park on Sunday.

Allianz FL Division 4 

Leitrim 2-14 

Carlow 1-10 

Leitrim's Keith Beirne stole the show with a 1-9 haul as Andy Moran’s side kept their promotion hopes alive with victory over a disappointing Carlow side at Netwatch Cullen Park on Sunday.

The Mohill club man hit 1-2 from open play, supplemented by five white flags from frees and two magnificent strikes from line balls as Leitrim claimed two invaluable points on the road.

Carlow led for much of the opening half which came to life with two goals in the space of a minute. The first was from Beirne who volleyed to the net from close range on nine minutes. In the next attack Carlow centre forward Jamie Clarke was fouled in the large square and he then stepped up to convert the resultant penalty.

Carlow went on to lead 1-8 to 1-5 but on the half hour Leitrim full-forward Ryan O’Rourke fire home a second goal for the visitors before a Darragh Foley free gave Carlow a narrow 1-9 to 2-5 interval lead.

Leitrim had much the better of the second half, scoring 0-9 to Carlow’s singe point from a Foley free. 

The Leitrim midfield of Pearse Dolan and Donal Wrynn were in control and with a good supply of ball the visitors kept picking off their points, with Berine and O’Rourke, who scored 1-3 from play, their chief marksmen.

Carlow’s game fell apart in the second half as they coughed up ball regularly. They also had three great chances of goals in the game’s latter stages but there was no way past Darren Maxwell.

S corers for Leitrim: K Beirne 1-9, 0-5f, 0-2 line kicks, R O’Rourke 1-3, D Wrynn, J Heslin 0-1 each.

Scorers for Carlow: J Clarke 1-2, 1-0 pen., 0-1 line kick D Foley 0-4f, C Hulton 0-2, 0-1f, D O’Brien, C Doyle 0-1 each.

LEITRIM: D Maxwell; M Diffley, D Casey, C Reynolds; C Farrell, D Breun, J Rooney; P Dolan, D Wrynn; D Rooney, K Beirne, M Plunkett; T Prior, R O’Rourke, D Flynn. 

Subs: J Heslin for Farrell (54); P Keaney for Plunkett (59); Conor Cullen for Prior (67); Ciarán Cullen for Breun (67).

CARLOW: C Cunningham; M Bambrick, S Buggy, D Curran; J Morrissey, D O’Brien, C Doyle; M Ware, S Bambrick; E Ruth, J Clarke, J Moore; C Crowley, D Foley, C Hulton. 

Subs: N Hickey for Ware (46); R Dunphy for Buggy (51).

Referee: J Ryan (Cork).