LEITRIM MADE LIGHT work of New York today with a resounding 4-19 to 0-7 victory at Gaelic Park, The Bronx.
Captain and talisman Emlyn Mulligan notched a hat-trick with Rob Lowe the man who was first to raise a green flag.
New York’s already mountainous task was made even worse midway through the second half when the CJ Molloy received his marching orders after being issued a second yellow card.
The win means Leitrim will now face either London or Sligo in the Connacht SFC semi-final on 23 June.
Though the hosts managed the opening score of the game, it was quickly washed away with the visiting county racking up an impressive 2-8 to 0-5 lead at the break.
Lowe and Mulligan hit the net after early scores from Wayne McKeon, Darren Sweeney and James Glancy.
At the other end, New York could manage just two scores in the first 25 minutes, but thanks in part to Conor Lynam they were able to add three points to that tally by half time.
At the other end, however, Mulligan continued to find the target and keep the scoreboard ticking over. And he added more of the same in the second half with a goal minutes after the restart before a well-taken free from distance cancelled out one of only two points for New York in the second half.
Clancy and Tomas Beirne ensured Mulligan was not the only one running up the score and the frustration in the final 10 minutes grew too much for Molloy and he walked after felling Paddy Maguire with the score 3-17 to 0-6.
If it hadn’t been for an hour before, that red meant the game was done and dusted. All that was left was for Mulligan to receive his reward on the long trip; a hat-trick courtesy of Clancy’s incisive pass.
