Although many suspected Connacht football was in for two shocks this afternoon, those exalting the hopes of the Exiles in London and New York were a little off the mark. In case of New York and Leitrim however, it wasn't by much.
After Sligo made short work of London in a dominant second-half display in Ruislip, New York, after years of struggle, fell at the very last hurdle against an incredibly resilient Leitrim side.
During an incredibly tight affair, a New York side sprinkled with some superb individual talent looked to have booked a place in the Connacht semi-final.
Alas, it wasn't meant to be, Leitrim claiming a 0-19 to 1-15 win in the very depths of extra-time.
At the half-way mark, Leitrim held a one-point lead. With many perhaps suspecting that the Connacht men would take this lead onward in the second half, New York were not entertaining it.
With two minutes of the second-half they were level; a minute later and they were ahead.
Exchanging the lead over the course of a frantic half, it had looked like Leitrim had just done enough. However, as the play moved into injury-time, New York rallied, grabbing an equaliser through Daniel McKenna.
With Leitrim missing a late chance to reclaim the lead once again, this particular pairing were destined for extra-time once again.
As the match went into extra-time, Leitrim began to dominate. However, amid all the chances they managed, ten minutes passed without a score for the Connacht man.
Heaping on their misfortune, Kevin O'Grady and Jamie Clarke were in far more clinical form and had New York two points ahead with 10 minutes to play.
When O'Grady added one more four minutes into the second-half of extra-time, New York led 1-15 to 0-15 with slightly over five minutes remaining. And yet, within a fraction of that time, Leitrim had it back to a one-point game with three minutes remaining.
Just like that, Leitrim had leveled it again - 1-15 to 0-18. Then, inevitably, to the delight of Leitrim but the disappointment of many more, Leitrim scored with near the last kick of the ball and took the win at New York's expense.
