Longford SFC: Slashers keep championship hopes alive in the draw against Dromard
Peter Hanley Motors Senior Football Championship Group 1 - Round 4
Dromard . . . 1-11 Longford Slashers . . . 1-11
Trailing by 1-7 to 0-6 at the break after Dromard midfielder Ronan McEntire broke through to score a goal in stoppage time, a controversial moment materialised with virtually the last kick of the first half.
Slashers chief marksman Robbie Clarke clearly converted a free over the bar but the perfect point was waved wide by the umpires.
Having said that, Dromard missed no less than three glorious goal chances in a dominant first half display and should have been further in front but it was a different story on the changeover as revitalised Slashers enjoyed a new lease of life.
Whatever stern words were spoken by the manager Liam Keenan during the break certainly worked and when substitute Ruairi Clarke scored a goal midway through the second half, it was Slashers who led by 1-9 to 1-8.
It was a real ding-dong battle from there until the final whistle and the draw was good enough for unbeaten Dromard to clinch a place in the quarter-finals.
DROMARD: Sean McNerney; Paul McGee, Oisin O'Toole, Dylan McCormack; Ronan Bleakley, Diarmuid Masterson (0-3), Peter Reynolds (0-1); Matt Duffy, Ronan McEntire (1-2); Bernard Sheridan, Joseph Hagan (0-2), Aaron Farrell (0-1); Francis McGee (0-1), Conor McGauran, Fionn Hourican (0-1).
Subs:- John Sheridan for R Bleakley (48 mins), Ollie Duffy for C McGauran (59 mins).
LONGFORD SLASHERS: David Sheahan; Dermot Brady, Sean Morgan, Adrian Duffy; Gerard Flynn, Ronan Sheahan, Darragh O'Connell; Andy Dalton, Tadhg McNevin; Ronan Kenny, Ben Lynn, Cian Ó Nualláin (0-1); Robbie 0'Connell, Robbie Clarke (0-8, all frees), Ronan Sheahan (0-1).
Subs:- Daire O'Brien (0-1, free) for T McNevin (injured 20 mins); Ruairí Clarke (1-0) for R O'Connell (half-time); Sean Clarke for B Lynn (59 mins).
Referee: Patrick Maguire (St Mary's Granard).