After a tough battle in Carrick-on-Shannon, Leitrim saw off the challenge of a dogged London outfit and emerged with a hard-fought five-point win.
Playing with the wind Leitrim opened the scoring when Darragh Rooney tapped over a fourth-minute free. The game remained scoreless for the next 17 minutes and then Leitrim's Ryan O'Rourke netted for the home side after a ball was sent into the goalmouth.
London eventually got their account open some three minutes before the end of normal time in the first half when Shay Rafter popped over a close-in free.
Two minutes later London reduced the deficit further when Patrick Dolan fired over from play. In added time at the end of the first half, Leitrim increased their lead when Darragh Rooney converted a free.
At the break Leitrim enjoyed a 1-03 to 0-02 advantage over the visitors. When the second-half action resumed Riordan O'Rourke opened Leitrim's account in the 38th minute as he split the London posts.
London responded two minutes later when Patrick Dolan whipped over a well-taken point.
Andy Moran's Leitrim adapted well playing against the win in the second half and Rooney whipped over a 47th-minute point to keep the scoreboard ticking in the home side's favour.
Four minutes later, Rooney was again on target for Leitrim to stretch the gap over the visitors to six points. London again lifted their game when Cathal Lacey whipped over a 55th-minute point. After this, London enjoyed a purple patch and reduced the deficit with Leitrim further when Liam Gallagher converted a 60th-minute free.
Leitrim had a let-off in the following minute when a Ryan Tohill piledriver rebounded off the home side's crossbar.
Then Leitrim, who had sustained a spell of London pressure, hit back with a 63rd minute Darragh Rooney free conversion to keep their grip on the proceedings.
Cathal Lacey from a free reduced the deficit slightly on the 70th-minute mark when he pointed a free. Riordan O'Rourke had the final say in the game-scoring action for Leitrim when he whipped over a late point.
Leitrim: Nevin O'Donnell; Conor Reynolds; Donal Casey, Aidan Flynn; Jamie McGreal, Mar Diffley, Jack Foley; Jack Gilheaney, Donal Wrynn; Shane Quinn, Barry McNulty, Ryan O’Rourke (1-00); Riordan O'Rourke (0-02), Darragh Rooney (0-05 3f), Evan Sweeney (0-01).
Subs: James Rooney for McGreal (27), Cathal McHugh for Reynolds (32), Mark Plunkett for Sweeney (56), Radek Oberwan for Wrynn (60).
London: Andrew Walsh; Daire Rooney, Matt Moynihan, Fiontan Eastwood: Cahir Healy, Oran Kerr, Ciaran McKeon,Ryan Tohill, Liam Gallagher (0-01f); Patrick Dolan (0-02), Daniel Clarke, Aidan McLoughlin; Cathal Lacey (0-02f), Shay Rafter (0-01f), Eoin Walsh.
Subs: Ciaran Diver for Healy (42), Stephen Dornan for Tohill (HT), Barry Tighe for Clarke (52), Ruairi Rafferty for Dolan (52); Ryan Tohill for Rafter (58).
Referee: Tommy Murphy (Galway).
