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Mulligan encouraged by Leitrim's recent revival

Dean McGovern and Emlyn Mulligan celebrating following Leitrim's win over London on Sunday.

Dean McGovern and Emlyn Mulligan celebrating following Leitrim's win over London on Sunday.

By Cian O’Connell

On a cold and blustery day in Carick-on-Shannon Emlyn Mulligan’s mind wandered back to a May afternoon in the boiling Bronx last year.

A young Leitrim outfit were being severely tested by a New York team flecked with stars so the fact they survived brought hope and confidence.

Another county mightn’t have derived such satisfaction, but Mulligan knew that after a decade spent on the inter-county beat things can be different in Leitrim.

Ten months later Leitrim achieved promotion under Terry Hyland to Division Three accomplishing their spring mission with a couple of games to spare.

“It is a huge thing,” Mulligan admits. “At the start of the year the expectation was high enough amongst the group after coming off last year with a few decent results.

“It is funny that New York game last year probably had a massive bearing on things and how we set up this year. Had we been beat over there we'd have struggled to get the likes of Terry in to manage us, we'd have struggled with getting players back.

“That five minutes probably defined us for the next 10 years. It just proves how vital it was now because it kickstarted us last year. Now Roscommon beat us, but we had a great win against Louth which gave us the boost to go on this year.”

The spirit and resilience Leitrim demonstrated when New York were on the verge of a dramatic victory mattered deeply.

Emlyn Mulligan following Leitrim's 2018 Connacht Senior Football Championship win over New York at Gaelic Park.

Emlyn Mulligan following Leitrim's 2018 Connacht Senior Football Championship win over New York at Gaelic Park.

“We took confidence because we knew they had a good team,” Mulligan says. “People say New York, but it was a New York with players like Jamie Clarke, Neil Collins, these lads who were seasoned campaigners with their counties and better players with their county teams.

“It is just funny when you look back at that five minutes. It is five minutes that will live well in the memory because I thought we were dead and buried.

“I think the belief from coming back from that has shown in all our games this year. Bar the London match we had been losing every game at half-time, but we never panicked or never thought we wouldn't get there. All that goes back to the New York.”

Hyland got Leitrim physically and mentally tuned in for the current campaign, but Mulligan also acknowledged the work carried out by others.

“We've gone through a lot of managers over the years and we have to pay a bit of praise to them too,” Mulligan states.

“This isn't all about the current management and current players. This is all about players that have gone by and the management from last year - Brendan Guckian, Michael Moyles, John O'Mahony, and Seamus Quinn. In years gone by you had Shane Ward, who managed these lads at Under 21 and minor.

“It is all coming together now, it is brilliant to see, and it is great they have got something out of it. We might not get another promotion for 10 years so we have to appreciate it and enjoy the moment and occasion.”

For the development of the game in the county Mulligan believes that Leitrim’s current winning run will be beneficial. “It is huge and Terry has that wealth of experience, he has brought Cavan through the divisions,” Mulligan adds.

Terry Hyland guided Leitrim to promotion from Division Four of the Allianz Football League.

Terry Hyland guided Leitrim to promotion from Division Four of the Allianz Football League.

“It is vitally important and to be honest we haven't really been performing that well, but we have been grinding out results. The most important thing is that you are winning at the end of the game. I know it is a cliche, but the scoreboard is all that counts at the end, regardless of how well you play.

“We didn't play well again against London, but we were on the winning end of it. We didn't play well in Limerick, but again we won. It is the sign of good character in the team that we keep grinding it out.

“Other years we probably played better, but we got nothing out of it where we were on the losing side of a point here and there. This year we got that bit of luck.”

Small little details counted, but Mulligan was thrilled that Leitrim realised their first target of the 2019 campaign.

“The draw was favourable to us with the teams we got at home, other years it mightn't have went our way,” Mulligan remarks. “To avoid Derry up until this was very good for us because we could build towards it.

“If you lose the first game you are starting off with a negative. So we will enjoy it. I'm delighted for lads like Paddy Maguire, Gary Reynolds, who has soldiered with me since 2005 or 2006 and Cathal McCrann, the sub 'keeper. For us it is just brilliant.

“We've had a lot of sad and tough days here wearing Leitrim jerseys in Division Four. To be getting back out of it is great. We got relegated in 2008 when we were involved so it is nice to be involved with a team that got us back out of it, even though it took us 10 years. Still we will take it when it comes.

“To secure promotion with two games to go, that is absolutely huge. We have Derry now in two weeks and Waterford again, but it is great to get back to Croke Park. It is brilliant for the young team we have here, it is brilliant for everyone involved.”