It was already a day to remember for Tom Prior before his name was pulled from a hat. The Leitrim GAA star scored a dramatic late equaliser in the county senior football final before winning a €2,310 club draw prize later that evening.
Late Leitrim goal keeps county final alive
Ballinamore Sean O’Heslin’s and Fenagh produced a tense Leitrim senior football final in Carrick-on-Shannon, with the outcome still undecided after a remarkable finish.
Fenagh appeared ready to move within touching distance of a first senior county title in 94 years. They held a three-point advantage as the game entered injury time, but Ballinamore refused to accept defeat.
Prior then delivered the decisive moment for Ballinamore, driving the ball to the net in the closing stages to bring the teams level. The final ended in a draw, meaning the two clubs must meet again in a replay.
Tom Prior wins €2,310 in club draw
The late goal would have made Prior the obvious talking point among Leitrim supporters, but there was another extraordinary twist waiting later that night.
Ballinamore held a club draw with €2,310 on offer. When the winning ticket was selected, it was Prior’s name that emerged. In the space of a few hours, the footballer had rescued his team’s county final hopes and collected a sizeable cash prize.
For a player involved in one of the most dramatic moments of the day, it was an extraordinary personal finish to an already emotional occasion.
A player with inter-county and Sigerson experience
Prior has been a regular presence in the Leitrim setup in recent seasons. Earlier in the summer, he scored four points during Leitrim’s Connacht quarter-final victory over Sligo.
He also played a role in DCU’s 2025 Sigerson Cup success, contributing three points in the final victory over UCD. That experience will now be valuable as Ballinamore prepare for another high-pressure meeting with Fenagh.
Fenagh’s long wait adds extra pressure
The replay carries huge significance for both clubs. Ballinamore are seeking to keep their county title ambitions alive, while Fenagh will feel they were close to ending one of the longest waits in Leitrim GAA.
Fenagh have not won the senior championship since 1932 and have suffered six final defeats during the intervening years. Their appearance this season is also their first in the county showpiece since 2003.
That history made their late collapse particularly painful. A three-point lead in injury time had placed them in a strong position, but Prior’s goal ensured the contest would have another chapter.
What to watch in the replay
- Can Fenagh recover from conceding such a late equaliser?
- Will Ballinamore carry momentum from their dramatic comeback?
- Can Tom Prior produce another decisive performance?
- Which team will handle the pressure of a second county final meeting?
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Another chapter in Leitrim’s club championship
The replay is scheduled for Saturday, October 24, giving both teams time to regroup and prepare for another demanding contest. For Fenagh, the challenge is to put the late goal behind them and rediscover the composure that carried them into a commanding position.
Ballinamore, meanwhile, will believe they have gained a psychological advantage. Their players showed they could keep fighting until the final whistle, while Prior’s intervention has given the club a memorable story before the replay has even arrived.
The match also highlights why county finals remain such compelling occasions in Gaelic football. Beyond the trophy, these games carry decades of club history, local pride and the possibility of creating a moment supporters will remember for years.
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What happens next?
Ballinamore Sean O’Heslin’s and Fenagh will return for the replay on October 24, with the Leitrim senior football title still completely undecided. After scoring the goal that prevented Fenagh from ending their long wait, Tom Prior will again be one of the players under the spotlight.
For now, his remarkable day has already delivered a late county-final rescue and a €2,310 windfall. The next step is the one that matters most: turning that dramatic draw into championship victory.
Article/Image Courtesy: Balls.ie
