Leitrim LGFA SFC Final preview: ​Can St Joseph’s stop Glencar Manor’s magnificent seven?​

If there is anything like an unbackable favourite in Leitrim sport in 2026, Glencar Manorhamilton appear to be it as they seek to win a record equalling seventh Leitrim LGFA Senior Championship title in a row when they face perennial rivals St Joseph’s in Saturday’s Final in Heartland Credit Union Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada (4 pm throw-in).

No team is unbeatable, Mayo proved that against Kerry in the Men’s All-Ireland Final this year, but there is something about Glencar Manorhamilton that make it very hard to back against, even with the knowledge that the one team that has consistently taken them right to the edge has been the women from St Joseph’s.

In the last three finals, there was only a point between the teams when the final whistle sounded and while last year saw Glencar Manor record a comfortable 3-13 to 1-12 victory, it took a Muireann Devaney goal against the run of play to leave the sides level at halftime.

So why is there is such a strong belief that the champions are almost unbackable this year? Well, it is three-fold – Glencar Manor, despite losing five starters from last year’s team, appear to have gotten better, the influx of younger players like Nessa Fox, Sophie Devaney and Aoife Boylan, adding new life to the team.

Secondly, the core of this team is only starting to enter their mid-twenties, the best years of their playing lives and they just seem to be operating on a different level. Finally, and this is a St Joseph’s themed reason, an injury hit Kate Gormley great reduces St Joseph’s chances of bringing off an upset.

Gormley has rivalled, even surpassed at times, the scoring of Muireann Devaney and Leah Fox, the standard bearers for high scoring in the county, and her obvious impairment against St Mary’s in the semi-final meant that St Joseph’s struggled to make their mark on the scoreboard in a way to reflect their general play.

Whether Gormley plays or has the impact they would hope is the big issue for St Joseph’s – in some ways, it may lessen the pressure on a team already down as underdogs but given the way they’ve dealt with Ballinamore and St Mary’s in recent weeks, you’d be unwise to dismiss Josephs’ chances.

The Moran sisters, Deirdre & Lorraine, are playing great stuff; Eabha McCartin & Grainne O’Malley are a tough and mobile midfield, Eadaoin Casey a real leader in a hard working and tigerish defence where Rachel McIntyre adds class and pace.Upfront, Bronagh O’Rourke and Carmel McGovern remains threats while the emergence of Aoife McKiernan has been a big bonus.

The trouble for St Joseph’s is that Glencar Manor are equally strong in all those sectors – with their forwards capable of operating as lone wolves, the champs can often sit deep with the tireless Anna Devaney, Aoife Gilmartin and Dearbhla Rooney in the middle of the park, Lauren Devaney and Rebecca Rooney tenacious defenders.

Upfront is where gets all the attention and if teams somehow manage to keep Muireann Devaney relatively quiet, not an easy task, Leah Fox is hugely dangerous and that’s before we come to the emerging Nessa Fox and others who are all capable of weighing in with scores.

What Glencar Manorhamilton did to Ballinamore in the semi-final was almost scary but the hope for opponents is that the champions haven’t been dragged into battle royale, their inner drive truly tested in a campaign where their lowest winning margin has been an incredible 18 points.

So intimidating have Glencar Manorhamilton being all year that people associated with other teams in the competition have spoken of playing for second place. That might lead to complacency on Manor’s part (although it probably won’t) but it is hard to lift the mindset of a team trying to take on the champions if that is all you are hearing all year.

Glencar Manorhamilton are favourites for a reason, their talent foremost among them. St Joseph’s will test them to the limit but given the ravenous hunger for success they’ve shown and with a record equalling seventh title in a row within sight, it seems impossible not to see them lift the title on Saturday.