Leitrim GAA confirm Easter Saturday, April 8, date for New York clash
Those Green & Gold fans looking to make plans to head across to the Big Apple for Leitrim's 2023 Connacht Senior Football Championship first round clash can start firming up their itinerary after Leitrim GAA confirmed that the game will take place on Easter Saturday, April 8, in Gaelic Park.
Andy Moran's troops take on a New York team many consider desperately unlucky not to beat Sligo last April, eventually losing out 1-16 to 0-15 while Leitrim's last meeting with the US based Exiles went to extra-time with Leitrim prevailing by a single point, 0-19 to 1-15, following an epic encounter described by Joe Brolly as one of the game's of the year.
With so many enquiries from fans about organising their trips to New York for the game, Leitrim GAA confirmed the news on the Friday that the game will take place on Saturday, April 8, in Gaelic Park with the winners taking on the winners of the London and Sligo clash in the Connacht Semi-Final.
It could be a busy month for Leitrim's senior footballers with the Allianz NFL League Finals set for April 1-2, in Croke Park and should Leitrim qualify for the Division 4 decider, they'd be facing a trip stateside just a matter of three or four days later.
Leitrim have twice been taken to extra-time by New York - famously in 2003 when Declan Rowley's side won 0-14 to 0-12 after extra-time and again in 2017 when Brendan Guckian's team got across the line. In 2008, a Des Dolan managed Leitrim won 0-17 to 0-8 against a New York team that featured former Leitrim and St Mary's player Johnny Goldrick.
In 2013, the Brian Breen & George Dugdale side demolished New York with a powerful display as they cruised to a 4-19 to 0-7 victory over a home side that featured Carrigallen's Eoin Ward. Unfortunately, 2013 is more remembered for the fallout after Leitrim lost to London in the Connacht Semi-Final replay, the London Exiles beating Sligo in their quarter-final and then Leitrim to qualify for their first ever Connacht Senior Final.
Full fixture details for the entire Connnacht, All-Ireland and Tailteann Cup campaigns are expected to be released in the coming weeks.